Ethempelini uJesu uphendule abaphristi abakhokhelayo labadala besizwe abambuze ukuthi uwathatha ngaphi amandla okwenza izinto azenzayo. Impendulo yakhe ibaqume imilomo. Khathesi ubalandisela umzekeliso otshengisa ukuthi bangabantu abanjani sibili.

Uthi: “Kulendoda eyayilabantwana ababili. Yaya kowokuqala yafika yathi, ‘Mntanami, hamba uyesebenza esivandeni samagilebisi lamuhla.’ Yena waphendula wathi, ‘Angisoze ngiye,’ kodwa wacina ezisola wasehamba. Yasihamba kowesibili yatsho into efananayo. Yena waphendula wathi, ‘Ngizahamba Baba,’ kodwa kahambanga. Ngubani phakathi kwalaba ababili owenza intando kayise?” (UMathewu 21:28-31) Kuyazicacela ukuthi indodana yokuqala yiyo eyacina isenza intando kayise.

UJesu utshela abaphikisi bakhe athi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, abathelisi lezifebe bazaliqalela ukungena eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu.” Abathelisi lezifebe bebengamkhonzi uNkulunkulu, kodwa sebephendukile njengendodana yokuqala njalo sebemkhonza. Abakhokheli benkolo banjengendodana yesibili ngoba bathi bakhonza uNkulunkulu kodwa besehluleka. UJesu uthi: “UJohane [uMbhabhathizi] weza kini ngendlela yokulunga kodwa kalimkholwanga. Abathelisi lezifebe bona bamkholwa. Lanxa lakubona lokhu, kalizisolanga futhi kalimkholwanga.”​—UMathewu 21:31, 32.

Ngemva kwalokho uJesu ulandisa omunye umzekeliso. Ubeke watshengisa ukuthi abakhokheli benkolo bayehluleka ukukhonza uNkulunkulu, kodwa khathesi usefuna ukutshengisa ukuthi balezinhliziyo ezimbi. UJesu uthi: “Kulomuntu owahlanyela amagilebisi esivandeni sakhe wasesibiyela ngothango, wagebha igodi lokukhamela amagilebisi waphinda wakha lomphotshongo. Waqhatshisa lesosivande kubalimi, wasesiya elizweni elikhatshana. Ngesikhathi sokuvuna wathuma inceku kubalimi ukuthi iyethatha ezinye izithelo ezazisesivandeni. Kodwa bona bayithatha bayitshaya basebeyixotsha, yabuyela ilengise izandla. Waphinda wathumela enye inceku, yona bayitshaya ekhanda njalo bayeyisa. Wathuma enye futhi inceku, bayibulala. Wathuma lezinye ezinengi, ezinye zakhona bazitshaya, ezinye bazibulala.”​—UMakho 12:1-5.

Abantu abalalele uJesu bazawuzwisisa yini umzekeliso wakhe? Mhlawumbe bakhumbula amazwi ake akhulunywa ngu-Isaya, athi: “Isivini sikaJehova uSomandla yindlu ka-Israyeli; abantu bakoJuda bayinsimu eligugu kuye. Wayelindele okufaneleyo, kodwa wabona ukuchitheka kwegazi.” (U-Isaya 5:7) Umzekeliso kaJesu uhambelana lamazwi la. Umnikazi wesivande nguJehova njalo isivande samagilebisi yisizwe sama-Israyeli esibiyelwe savikelwa nguMthetho kaNkulunkulu. UJehova wathuma abaphrofethi ukuthi bafundise abantu bakhe lokuthi babancedise bathele izithelo ezinhle.

Emzekelisweni kaJesu, “abalimi” baziphatha kubi “izinceku” ezazithunyiwe bazibulala. UJesu uthi: “Kwasekusele indodana yakhe [umnikazi wesivande samagilebisi] ayithandayo kuphela. Ekucineni wathuma yona esithi, ‘Indodana yami bazayihlonipha.’ Kodwa abalimi bakhuluma bebodwa bathi, ‘Le yiyo indlalifa. Buyani siyibulale, ilifa libe ngelethu.’ Ngakho bayithatha bayibulala.”​—UMakho 12:6-8.

Ngemva kwalokho uJesu ubuza athi: “Manje umnikazi wesivande uzakwenzani?” (UMakho 12:9) Abakhokheli benkolo bamphendula besithi: “Uzababulala ngendlela elesihluku ngenxa yokuthi babi, futhi isivande leso uzasiqhatshisa kwabanye abalimi abazamnika amagilebisi nxa isikhathi sokuvuna sesifikile.”​—UMathewu 21:41.

Abakhokheli laba sebezigwaze ngowabo ngoba baphakathi ‘kwabalimi’ ‘besivande’ sikaJehova esiyisizwe sako-Israyeli. UNkulunkulu ukhangelele ukuthi abalimi laba bathele izithelo ezigoqela ukuba lokholo eNdodaneni yakhe, uMesiya. UJesu ubathi nhlo abakhokheli benkolo laba abesesithi: “Kanti kalikaze liwubale umbhalo othi: ‘Ilitshe elaliwa ngabakhi selibe lilitshe elikhulu eliyisiqokoqela. Ilitshe lelo livela kuJehova futhi lihle kakhulu emehlweni ethu’?” (UMakho 12:10, 11) Uyabachasisela akutshoyo athi: “Yikho ngisithi kini, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu lizawuthathelwa uphiwe isizwe esithela izithelo zawo.”​—UMathewu 21:43.

Ababhali labaphristi abakhokhelayo bayananzelela ukuthi uJesu ‘ukhulume umzekeliso lo ecabanga ngabo.’ (ULukha 20:19) Sebezimisele kakhulu ukumbulala yena ‘oyindlalifa.’ Kodwa kabambulali ngalesosikhathi ngoba besaba ixuku elibona uJesu engumphrofethi.

UJesu usezaqeda inkonzo yakhe futhi uqhubeka esebenzisa imizekeliso ukuze abuveze egcekeni ububi bababhali labaphristi abakhokhelayo. Yikho befuna ukumbulala. (ULukha 20:19) Lanxa kunjalo, uqhubeka ebachaya egcekeni. Ulandisa omunye umzekeliso athi:

“UMbuso wamazulu ungafaniswa lenkosi eyalungisela indodana yayo idili lomtshado. Yasithuma izinceku zayo ukuthi ziyebiza ababenxusiwe emtshadweni, kodwa bona bala ukubuya.” (UMathewu 22:2, 3) UJesu uqala umzekeliso wakhe ngokukhuluma ‘ngoMbuso wamazulu.’ Ngakho kumele ukuthi ‘inkosi’ nguJehova uNkulunkulu. Ingubani indodana yenkosi njalo abanxuswe edilini lomtshado ngobani? Kusegcekeni ukuthi indodana yenkosi yiNdodana kaJehova elandisa umzekeliso lo njalo kuyacaca ukuthi abanxusiweyo yilabo abazakuba leNdodana eMbusweni wamazulu.

Ngobani abanxuswa kuqala? Kanje uJesu labaphostoli bakhe bebetshumayeza obani ngoMbuso? Bebetshumayeza amaJuda. (UMathewu 10:6, 7; 15:24) Isizwe lesi saba sesivumelwaneni soMthetho ngo-1513 B.C.E., futhi lokhu kwenza saba ngesokuqala ukuthola isibusiso sokuba “ngumbuso wabaphristi.” (U-Eksodusi 19:5-8) Kodwa sasizabizwa nini “emtshadweni”? Kuyakhanya ukuthi sanxuswa ngo-29 C.E. lapho uJesu eqalisa ukutshumayela ngoMbuso wamazulu.

Ama-Israyeli amanengi enzani esenxusiwe? UJesu uthi ‘ala ukubuya.’ Abantu kanye labakhokheli benkolo kabazange bavume ukuthi unguMesiya kanye lokuthi uyiNkosi ebekwe nguNkulunkulu.

Kodwa uJesu uveza ukuthi amaJuda la ayezanxuswa futhi, uthi: “[Inkosi] yaphinda yathuma ezinye izinceku yathi, ‘Tshelani abanxusiweyo lithi: “Lalelani! Sengilungisile ukudla, ngihlabe inkunzi zami lezinye izifuyo zami ezinonileyo, konke sekulungile. Wozani edilini lomtshado.”’ Kodwa kabazange babe lendaba, omunye wasuka waziyela emasimini akhe, omunye waya ebhizimusini yakhe. Abanye bona badumela izinceku zenkosi bazikhahlameza njalo bazibulala.” (UMathewu 22:4-6) Lokhu kuhambelana lokwakuzakwenzakala ibandla lamaKhristu selisunguliwe. Ngalesosikhathi amaJuda amanengi ayelokhu elethuba lokuba seMbusweni kodwa kawazange abe lendaba lalokhu, aze ahlukuluza “izinceku zenkosi.”​—ImiSebenzi 4:13-18; 7:54, 58.

Isizwe lesi saphetha ngani? UJesu uthi: “Inkosi yazonda yabila, yasithumela amabutho ayo afika abulala labo ababebulele izinceku zayo atshisa ledolobho labo.” (UMathewu 22:7) Lokhu kwenzakala ngo-70 C.E. ngesikhathi amaRoma ebhubhisa ‘idolobho lawo [amaJuda],’ iJerusalema.

Pho abakho yini abanye abazanxuswa njengoba amaJuda engavumanga ngesikhathi enxuswa? Bakhona ngoba uJesu uqhubeka esithi: “[Inkosi] yasisithi ezincekwini zayo, ‘Idili lomtshado selilungile kodwa ebengibanxusile bebengafanelanga. Ngakho hambani emigwaqweni ephuma edolobheni, futhi loba ngubani elizamthola limnxuse edilini lomtshado.’ Lakanye izinceku zaphuma zaya emigwaqweni, zafika zabiza bonke ezazibathola, ababi labahle. Indawo okwakutshadelwa kuyo yagcwala abantu ababesidla.”​—UMathewu 22:8-10.

Yikho-ke, ngokuya kwesikhathi umphostoli uPhetro wayezanceda abeZizweni ukuthi babe ngamaKhristu eqiniso futhi laba yilabo ababengayisiwo maJuda kumbe ababengaphendukelanga okholweni lwesiJuda. Ngo-36 C.E., umkhokheli wamasotsha waseRoma okuthiwa nguKhoneliya kanye lemuli yakhe bemukela umoya ongcwele, bathola isibusiso sokuba seMbusweni wamazulu uJesu abekhuluma ngawo.​—ImiSebenzi 10:1, 34-48.

UJesu utshengisa ukuthi kayisibo bonke ‘inkosi’ ezabemukela emtshadweni. Uthi: “Inkosi ithe isizokhangela izethekeli zayo yabona enye indoda eyayingagqokanga isembatho somtshado. Yasisithi kuyo, ‘Ndoda, ungene njani lapha wena ungelasembatho somtshado?’ Indoda le yaswela lokuthi ithini. Ngakho inkosi yathi ezincekwini zayo, ‘Mbopheni izandla lenyawo limphosele phandle emnyameni. Yikho lapho azakhala khona atshayanise amazinyo.’ Banengi abanxusiweyo kodwa balutshwana abakhethiweyo.”​—UMathewu 22:11-14.

Kungenzakala ukuthi abakhokheli benkolo abalalele uJesu kabakuzwisisi konke akutshoyo. Lanxa kunjalo bayazonda futhi bayazimisela kakhulu ukumbulala umuntu lo obayangisa kangaka.

Abakhokheli benkolo abayizitha zikaJesu bacaphukile. Usanda kulandisa imizekeliso eveza ububi babo. Khathesi abaFarisi babumba icebo lokuthi bamthiye. Bazama ukumthiya ngamazwi akhe ukuze ahanjiswe kusibalukhulu weRoma njalo babhadala abanye abafundi babo ukuze bamthiye.​—ULukha 6:7.

Bathi kuye: “Mfundisi, siyakwazi ukuthi izinto ozikhulumayo lozifundisayo ziqondile futhi kawukhethi muntu, kodwa ufundisa iqiniso ngendlela kaNkulunkulu: Kusemthethweni yini ukuthi sibhadale umthelo kuKhesari kumbe hatshi?” (ULukha 20:21, 22) UJesu uyananzelela ukuthi abantu laba bazama ukumvala amehlo lokuthi bayazenzisa futhi bangamaqili. Nxa angathi akuqondanga ukubhadala umthelo, angetheswa icala lokuvukela umbuso weRoma. Angathi kuqondile ukuwubhadala, abantu abangafuniyo ukubuswa ngamaRoma bangacina bemhlasela. Manje uphendula esithini?

UJesu uthi: “Lingilingelani lina bazenzisi? Ngitshengisani imali yomthelo.” Bamphathela udenariyu, abesesithi kubo: “Ngumfanekiso kabani lo futhi libizo likabani elibhalwe lapha?” Bona besebephendula besithi: “NgokukaKhesari.” Sebetsho njalo uJesu uthi kubo: “Ngakho buyiselani okukaKhesari kuKhesari, kodwa okukaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.”​—UMathewu 22:18-21.

Amadoda la ayamangala esizwa amazwi kaJesu. Asuka esequnywe umlomo njengoba ewaphendule kuhle kangaka. Kodwa kawakhalali, alokhu efuna ukumthiya. AbaFarisi bathi sebehlulekile ukuthiya uJesu kufike abakhokheli belinye iqembu lenkolo.

AbaSadusi abangakholwayo ukuthi abafileyo bazavuswa babuza uJesu mayelana lokuvuswa kwabafileyo langowesifazana owatshada lamadoda ayizelamani. Bathi: “Mfundisi, uMosi wathi: ‘Nxa indoda ingafa ingelabantwana, umfowabo kufanele atshade lomkayo, ayizalele abantwana.’ Kwakulamadoda ayisikhombisa ayeyizelamani. Endala yatshada kodwa yafa ingelamntwana, umkayo wasala ethathwa ngumfowabo. Kwaba yiso leso kweyesibili lakweyesithathu kwaze kwayafika kweyesikhombisa. Ekucineni owesifazana lo wafa. Manje phakathi kwalaba abayisikhombisa, uzakuba ngumkabani nxa sekuvuswa abafileyo? Phela wayeke waba yinkosikazi yabo bonke.”​—UMathewu 22:24-28.

UJesu uphendula abaSadusi esebenzisa lokho okwabhalwa nguMosi abakwamukelayo. Uthi: “Yikho lilahleka, kaliyazi iMibhalo futhi kaliwazi amandla kaNkulunkulu. Angithi nxa bevuswa kwabafileyo amadoda kawathathi labesifazana kabendiswa, bonke bayabe sebenjengezingilosi emazulwini. Kodwa mayelana lokuvuswa kwabafileyo, kalikaze likubale yini egwalweni lukaMosi ukuthi endabeni yesihlahla sameva uNkulunkulu wathi kuye: ‘NginguNkulunkulu ka-Abrahama loNkulunkulu ka-Isaka loNkulunkulu kaJakhobe’? UnguNkulunkulu wabaphilayo, hatshi owabafileyo. Lilahlekile sibili!” (UMakho 12:24-27; U-Eksodusi 3:1-6) Amaxuku atsha amathe esizwa impendulo le.

AbaFarisi labaSadusi baswele ukuthi bamphendule njani uJesu, yikho abaphikisi laba bayabambana besebesiya kuye ukuze bamlinge futhi. Omunye umbhali ubuza athi: “Mfundisi, yiwuphi umlayo oqakatheke kulayo yonke eMthethweni?”​—UMathewu 22:36.

UJesu uphendula athi: “Owokuqala ngothi, ‘Lalela, O Israyeli, uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu nguJehova munye, njalo kumele uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, langomphefumulo wakho wonke, langengqondo yakho yonke, langamandla akho wonke.’ Owesibili ngothi, ‘Kumele uthande umakhelwane wakho ngendlela ozithanda ngayo.’ Kawukho omunye umlayo omkhulu kulale.”​—UMakho 12:29-31.

Umbhali uthi esizwa impendulo le athi: “Mfundisi, ukhulume kuhle, okutshoyo kuliqiniso, ‘Yena munye, futhi kakho omunye ngaphandle kwakhe’; njalo ukuthi umuntu amthande ngenhliziyo yakhe yonke, langokuzwisisa kwakhe konke, langamandla akhe wonke, kanye lokuthanda umakhelwane wakhe ngendlela azithanda ngayo, kuqakatheke kakhulu ukwedlula iminikelo yokutshiswa egcweleyo kanye lemihlatshelo.” UJesu uyananzelela ukuthi umbhali lo uphendule ngokukhalipha, abesesithi kuye: “Kawukhatshana loMbuso kaNkulunkulu.”​—UMakho 12:32-34.

Sekulamalanga amathathu (Nisani 9, lo-10, lo-11) uJesu efundisa ethempelini. Bakhona abanye abanjengombhali lo abakholise ukumuzwa efundisa. Kodwa abakhokheli benkolo bebengakholisi ukumlalela njalo ‘kabasela sibindi sokumbuza futhi.’

Abaphikisi bakaJesu bebefuna ukumkhipha isithunzi lokumthiya bambophise ngamaRoma, kodwa behlulekile. (ULukha 20:20) UJesu ulokhu esethempelini ngoNisani 11. Khathesi nguye osebabuza imibuzo njalo utshengisa ukuthi yena ungubani sibili. Ubabuza athi: “Lithini ngoKhristu? Yindodana kabani?” (UMathewu 22:42) Kuyaziwa ukuthi uKhristu loba uMesiya uzavela kusendo lukaDavida njalo yikho abaphikisi abamtshela khona.​—UMathewu 9:27; 12:23; UJohane 7:42.

UJesu ubuza athi: “Pho kungani uDavida ephefumulelwe wambiza ngokuthi Nkosi? Phela wathi, ‘UJehova wathi eNkosini yami: “Hlala esandleni sami sokudla ngize ngibeke izitha zakho ngaphansi kwenyawo zakho.”’ Manje nxa uDavida embiza ngokuthi Nkosi, uyindodana yakhe njani?”​—UMathewu 22:43-45.

AbaFarisi baswela impendulo ngoba bakhangelele umuntu ozavela kusendo lukaDavida ongabakhulula embusweni wamaRoma. Kodwa uJesu utsho amazwi kaDavida akuHubo 110:1, 2 ukuze atshengise ukuthi uMesiya kasoze abe ngumbusi nje. UyiNkosi kaDavida futhi uzathi esehlezi esandleni sokudla sikaNkulunkulu abuse. Abaphikisi bakhe kabaphindi bambuze.

Abafundi kanye labanye abanengi bebelalele. Khathesi uJesu usekhuluma labo ebaxwayisa ngababhali kanye labaFarisi. Amadoda la ‘azihlalise esihlalweni sikaMosi’ ngokufundisa uMthetho kaNkulunkulu. UJesu utshela abamlaleleyo athi: “Zonke izinto abalitshela zona zenzeni lizilandele, kodwa lingenzi lokho abakwenzayo ngoba bayakhuluma kodwa kabakwenzi abakutshoyo.”​—UMathewu 23:2, 3.

Ngemva kwalokho uJesu ukhuluma ngokunye okutshengisa ukuthi bangabazenzisi, uthi: “Bawenza abe makhulu amabhokisi alemibhalo abawabophela emabunzini lasengalweni ukuze bazivikele.” Amanye amaJuda ayelawo amabhokisi la alamazwi amalutshwana athethwe eMthethweni. AbaFarisi bona bawenza abe makhulu ukuze kukhanye angani bayawulandela sibili uMthetho. Benza “lemiphetho yezembatho zabo ibe mide.” Lanxa ama-Israyeli kwakumele afake imiphetho ezembathweni zawo, abaFarisi bona basebesenza eyabo ibe mide. (AmaNani 15:38-40) Konke lokhu babekwenzela “ukubukwa ngabantu.”​—UMathewu 23:5.

Abafundi bakaJesu labo bangacina sebefuna ukubukwa ngabantu, yikho uJesu ubalaya esithi: “Kodwa lina akumelanga libizwe ngokuthi Rabi ngoba munye uMfundisi wenu. Lina lonke lingabafowabo bomunye lomunye. Kanti njalo lingabizi muntu emhlabeni ngokuthi baba ngoba munye uYihlo, lowo osezulwini. Akumelanga libizwe langokuthi lingabakhokheli ngoba munye uMkhokheli wenu, uKhristu.” Pho abafundi kumele benzeni? UJesu uthi: “Kodwa omkhulu kulani lonke kufanele abe yinceku yenu. Loba ngubani oziphakamisayo uzakwehliswa, futhi loba ngubani ozehlisayo uzaphakanyiswa.”​—UMathewu 23:8-12.

Ngemva kwalokho uJesu uqalisa ukusola ababhali labaFarisi abazenzisayo. Uthi kubo: “Maye kini babhali labaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngoba livalela abantu uMbuso wamazulu! Lina kalingeni kuwo njalo labasendleleni yokuyangena kuwo liyabavimbela.”​—UMathewu 23:13.

UJesu uyabasola abaFarisi ngenxa yokuthi kabalandaba lalokho uNkulunkulu akuqakathekisa kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo bathi: “Nxa umuntu angafunga ngethempeli akulandaba; kodwa nxa angafunga ngegolide elisethempelini, ulomlandu wokugcwalisa isifungo sakhe.” Lokhu kutshengisa ukuthi bayiziphofu sibili ezingaboni okuqakatheke kakhulu. Baqakathekisa igolide elisethempelini kulokuthi baqakathekise ithempeli abakhonza kulo uJehova lalapho abasondela khona kuye. Kanti njalo ‘badela izindaba eziqakathekileyo zoMthetho eziphathelane lokwahlulela okuhle, ukuba lesihawu kanye lokuthembeka.’​—UMathewu 23:16, 23; ULukha 11:42.

UJesu uthi abaFarisi laba ‘ngabakhokheli abayiziphofu, abacenga imiyane kodwa behubula ikamela!’ (UMathewu 23:24) Bacenga imiyane ewayinini labo ngenxa yokuthi uMthetho uthi isibungu leso asihlanzekanga. Indlela abadela ngayo izindaba eziqakathekileyo zoMthetho injengokuhubula ikamela, lalo elingahlanzekanga ngokoMthetho. Umehluko yikuthi lona likhulu kulemiyane.​—ULevi 11:4, 21-24.