UJwanisi Ulungisa Indlela

UJwanisi, indodana kaZakariya no-Elisabethi yaba mphorofidi nayikhulako. UJehova walayela uJwanisi bona afundise abantu ngoMesiya obekazokuza. Kodwana kunokuthi afundise emasinagogeni namkha emadorobheni, uJwanisi bekatjhumayela emmangweni. Abantu bebeza bavela eJerusalema neJudiya bazokufunda kuJwanisi. Wabafundisa ukuthi nabazakuthokozisa uZimu, kufuze balise izinto ezimbi abazenzako. Abanengi ngemva kokuzwa uJwanisi akhuluma, batjhuguluka ezonweni zabo begodu uJwanisi wababhabhadisa emLanjeni iJordani.

UJwanisi bekaphila ipilo elula. Izembatho zakhe bezenziwe ngoboya bekamela, adla iintethe neluju lemmangweni. Abantu bebazibuza ngoJwanisi. Ngitjho nabaFarisi nabaSadusi abazikhakhazisako beza bazombona. UJwanisi wabatjela wathi: ‘Kufuze nitjhugulule iindlela zenu niphenduke. Ningazitjeli bona niqakathekile ngokuba bantwana baka-Abrahama ngombana lokho akutjho ukuthi nibantwana bakaZimu.’

Abanengi beza kuJwanisi bambuza ukuthi: ‘Kufuze senzeni nasizakuthabisa uZimu?’ UJwanisi waphendula amaJuda lawo wathi: ‘Nawunezembatho ezimbili, yabelana naloyo onganalitho.’ Uyazi kubayini atjho njalo? Kungombana bekafuna abafundi bakhe bazi ukuthi nabazakuthabisa uZimu kufuze bathande abanye abantu.

UJwanisi watjela nabathelisi wathi: ‘Thembekani begodu ningakhwabaniseli muntu.’ Namasotja wawatjela ukuthi: ‘Ningayamukeli imali yokufumbathisa namkha nikhulume amala.’

AbaPhristi namaLevi nabo beza kuJwanisi bambuza bathi: ‘Ungubani? Ngombana abantu bafuna ukwazi.’ UJwanisi wathi: ‘Ngililizwi elirhuwelela emmangweni, lithumela abantu kuJehova njengokutjho kwaka-Isaya.’

Abantu bebakuthanda lokho abakufundiswa nguJwanisi. Abanengi babe basola nokuthi uJwanisi lo nguMesiya. Kodwana wabatjela wathi: ‘Uyeza omkhulu kunami. Abe angikafaneli nokutjhaphulula amapatlagwanakhe. Mina nginibhabhadisa ngamanzi kodwana yena uzonibhabhadisa ngomoya ocwengileko.’