“Lifikile Ilixa!”

“Lifikile ilixa lakhe lokuba emke kweli hlabathi aye kuYise.”—YOHANE 13:1.

1. Njengoko iPasika yowama-33 C.E. isondela, abantu baxakeke kukufunisela ngantoni eYerusalem, yaye ngoba?

EKUBHAPTIZWENI kwakhe ngowama-29 C.E., uYesu waqalisa ikhondo elaliza kumkhokelela ‘kwilixa’ lokufa, ukuvuka nokuzukiswa kwakhe. Ngoku kusentwasahlobo yowama-33 C.E. Sele kudlule iiveki ezimbalwa kuphela emva kokuba inkundla ephakamileyo yamaYuda, iSanhedrin, iye yabhunga ukubulala uYesu. Elivile icebo layo, mhlawumbi ngoNikodemo, ilungu leSanhedrin nobesoloko ebonakalisa ubuhlobo kuye, uYesu uyemka eYerusalem yaye uya emaphandleni ngaphesheya koMlambo iYordan. Njengoko kusondela uMthendeleko wePasika, abantu abaninzi bayemka emaphandleni baya eYerusalem, yaye kuyaxokozela esixekweni abantu bayafunisela ngoko kuza kwenziwa nguYesu. Abantu bayabuzana: “Luthini na olwenu uluvo? Ngaba lukukuba akayi kuza konke konke na emthendelekweni?” Ababingeleli abaziintloko nabaFarisi bayongezelela kule mincili ngokunikela imiyalelo yokuba nabani na omaziyo apho akhoyo uYesu ufanele abaxelele.—Yohane 11:47-57.

2. Yintoni eyenziwa nguMariya nebangela ingxwabangxwaba, yaye indlela aphendula ngayo uYesu xa emthethelela ibonisa ukuba wazi ntoni ‘ngelixa lakhe’?

² NgoNisan 8, kwiintsuku ezintandathu ngaphambi kokuba kufike iPasika, uYesu ubuyele kummandla waseYerusalem. Uya eBhethani—idolophu abazalelwa kuyo abahlobo bakhe abathandayo uMarta, uMariya noLazaro—indawo ekumgama omalunga neekhilomitha ezintathu ngaphandle kweYerusalem. Kungokuhlwa ngoLwesihlanu, yaye uYesu uyichithela apho iSabatha. Ngokuhlwa ngemini elandelayo xa uMariya emlungiselela esebenzisa ioli exabiso likhulu nenevumba elimnandi, abafundi bayakugatya oko. UYesu uyaphendula: “Myekeni, asenze esi sithethe ngenxa yemini yokungcwatywa kwam. Kuba amahlwempu nisoloko nikunye nawo, kodwa mna aniyi kusoloko ninam.” (Yohane 12:1-8; Mateyu 26:6-13) UYesu uyazi ukuba “lifikile ilixa lakhe lokuba emke kweli hlabathi aye kuYise.” (Yohane 13:1) Kusele nje iintsuku ezintlanu aze “anikele ngomphefumlo wakhe ube yintlawulelo ngenxa yabaninzi.” (Marko 10:45) Ukususela ngoko, imvo yongxamiseko ichaphazela yonke into eyenziwa nguYesu nayifundisayo. Onjani ukubalasela umzekelo asimisela wona njengoko silinde ukupheliswa kwale nkqubo yezinto ngolangazelelo! Phawula oko kwenzeka kuYesu ngemini elandelayo.

Imini Yokungena KukaYesu Ngoloyiso

3. (a) UYesu ungena njani eYerusalem ngeCawa, ngoNisan 9, yaye inkoliso yabantu abamngqongileyo isabela njani? (b) Ubaphendula athini uYesu abaFarisi abakhalazela isihlwele?

³ NgeCawa, ngoNisan 9, uYesu ungena eYerusalem ngoloyiso. Njengoko esondela esixekweni—ekhwele inkonyana ye-esile, ezalisekisa uZekariya 9:9—inkoliso yabantu abamngqongileyo yandlala izambatho zayo zangaphezulu endleleni, ngoxa abanye begawula amasebe emithini baze bawandlale endleleni. Bayadanduluka besithi: “Usikelelwe Lowo uza njengoKumkani egameni likaYehova!” Abanye abaFarisi abakweso sihlwele bafuna uYesu akhalimele abafundi bakhe. Noko ke, uYesu uphendula athi: “Ndithi kuni, Ukuba aba bangathi cwaka, kungadanduluka amatye la.”—Luka 19:38-40; Mateyu 21:6-9.

4. Yintoni ebangela ukuxokozela eYerusalem xa uYesu engena esixekweni?

⁴ Kwiiveki nje ezimbalwa ezidluleyo, abaninzi kweso sihlwele baye bambona uYesu evusa uLazaro. Ngoku abo baxelela abanye ngaloo mmangaliso. Ngoko njengoko uYesu engena eYerusalem, sonke isixeko siyaxokozela. Abantu bayabuza: “Ngubani na lo?” Yaye isihlwele siyaqhubeka sisithi: “Lo nguYesu umprofeti, ongowaseNazarete yaseGalili!” Bebona oko kuqhubekayo, abaFarisi bayakhalaza besithi: “Ihlabathi lilandela yena.”—Mateyu 21:10, 11; Yohane 12:17-19.

5. Kwenzeka ntoni xa uYesu esiya etempileni?

⁵ Njengoko kulisiko lakhe xa atyelele eYerusalem, uYesu uMfundisi Omkhulu, uya etempileni ukuze afundise. Xa elapho kuza kuye iimfama neziqhwala, yaye uyaziphilisa. Xa ababingeleli abaziintloko nababhali bekubona oku yaye besiva amakhwenkwe etempileni edanduluka esithi, “Siyathandaza, sindisa uNyana kaDavide!” baba nomsindo. Bayaqhankqalaza besithi: “Uyakuva na oko kutshiwo ngaba?” “Ewe,” uYesu uyaphendula. “Anizange nikufunde na oku, ‘Emlonyeni weentsana nabanyayo ulungiselele indumiso’?” Njengoko uYesu eqhubeka efundisa, uyakuqwalasela oko kwenzeka etempileni.—Mateyu 21:15, 16; Marko 11:11.

6. Indlela uYesu enza ngayo izinto ngoku yahluke njani kuleyo ebesenza ngayo ngaphambilana, yaye ngoba?

⁶ Onjani wona umahluko kwindlela uYesu enza ngayo izinto ngoku kwindlela ebesenza ngayo kwiinyanga ezintandathu ezidluleyo! Ngelo xesha weza eYerusalem kuMthendeleko weMinquba “kungekhona ekuhleni kodwa emfihlekweni.” (Yohane 7:10) Yaye ubesoloko esaba xa ubomi bakhe busengozini. Ngoku akazifihli xa angena esixekweni ebekunikelwe kuso imiyalelo yokuba abanjwe! Bekungeyonto iqhelekileyo ngoYesu ukuba azazise njengoMesiya. (Isaya 42:2; Marko 1:40-44) Ubengathandi ukuba kubhengezwe ngaye okanye kusasazwe iingxelo ezigqwethekileyo ngaye. Ngoku izihlwele zimvakalisa ekuhleni njengoKumkani noMsindisi—uMesiya—yaye uyasigatya isicelo seenkokeli zonqulo sokuba athulise ezo zihlwele! Yintoni ebangela ukuba atshintshe ngoku? Kungenxa yokuba “lifikile ilixa lokuba uNyana womntu azukiswe,” njengoko uYesu esitsho kusuku olulandelayo.—Yohane 12:23.

Isenzo Senkalipho—Emva Koko Unikela Imfundiso Esindis’ Ubomi

7, 8. Oko kwenziwa nguYesu ngoNisan 10, ngowama-33 C.E., kufana njani noko wakwenza etempileni ngePasika yowama-30 C.E.?

⁷ Akufika etempileni ngoMvulo, ngoNisan 10, uYesu uthabath’ amanyathelo ngoko akubone kusenzeka ngenjikalanga edluleyo. Uqalisa ‘ukubaphosela ngaphandle abo bathengisayo nabo bathengayo etempileni, kwaye ubhukuqa iitafile zabatshintshi bemali nezihlalo ezide zabo bathengisa amahobe; yaye akavumeli nabani na ukuba athwale impahla adlule phakathi etempileni.’ Uyabagxeka abo benzi bobubi, esithi: “Akubhalwanga na kwathiwa, ‘Indlu yam iya kubizwa ngokuba yindlu yomthandazo yazo zonke iintlanga’? Kodwa niyenze umqolomba wabaphangi.”—Marko 11:15-17.

⁸ Oko kwenziwa nguYesu kufana noko wakwenzayo kwiminyaka emithathu ngaphambili xa wayetyelele itempile ngePasika yowama-30 C.E. Noko ke, ngesi sihlandlo ubagxeka ngokuqatha. Ngoku abo bathengisa etempileni babizwa ngokuba ‘ngabaphangi.’ (Luka 19:45, 46; Yohane 2:13-16) Babizwa ngaloo ndlela kuba babiza amaxabiso aphakame ngokugqithiseleyo kwabo bafuna ukuthenga izilwanyana zokwenza imibingelelo. Ababingeleli abaziintloko, ababhali kunye nabo baziintloko ebantwini bayakuva oko kwenziwe nguYesu yaye kwakhona bafuna iindlela zokumbulala. Ukanti, abakwazi ukumtshabalalisa uYesu, kuba bonke abantu bathe manga yimfundiso yakhe, yaye bathe nca kuye ukuze bamphulaphule.—Marko 11:18; Luka 19:47, 48.

9. Sisiphi isifundo esifundiswa nguYesu, yaye sisiphi isimemo asidlulisela kwabo bamphulaphuleyo etempileni?

⁹ Njengoko uYesu eqhubeka efundisa etempileni, uthi: “Lifikile ilixa lokuba uNyana womntu azukiswe.” Ewe, uyazi ukuba zimbalwa iintsuku eziseleyo zokuba aphile njengomntu. Emva kokuchaza indlela ukhozo lwengqolowa elimele life ngayo ukuze luthwale isiqhamo—nto leyo efana nokufa kwakhe ukuze ngaye abanye bafumane ubomi obungunaphakade—uYesu udlulisela isimemo kwabo bamphulaphuleyo esithi: “Ukuba nabani na unga angandilungiselela, makandilandele, yaye apho ndikhoyo mna umlungiseleli wam uya kuba lapho naye. Ukuba nabani na unga angandilungiselela, uBawo uya kumbeka yena.”—Yohane 12:23-26.

10. UYesu uvakalelwa njani ngokufa okubuhlungu aza kujamelana nako?

¹⁰ Ecinga ngokufa kwakhe okubuhlungu aza kujamelana nako kwiintsuku ezine kuphela ezizayo, uYesu uhlabela mgama esithi: “Umphefumlo wam ukhathazekile, yaye ndiya kuthini na? Bawo, ndisindise kweli lixa.” Kodwa ke oko kumele kwenzeke kuYesu akunakuphepheka. Uthi: “Noko ke, kungenxa yoku le nto ndifikile kweli lixa.” Eneneni, uYesu uyavumelana nalo lonke ilungiselelo likaThixo. Uzimisele ukuvumela ukuthanda kukaThixo kulawule izenzo zakhe de afe ukufa okulidini. (Yohane 12:27) Onjani wona umzekelo awasimisela wona—lowo wokuzithoba ngokupheleleyo ekuthandeni kukaThixo!

11. Yiyiphi imfundiso edluliselwa nguYesu kwisihlwele esisandul’ ukuva ilizwi eliphuma ezulwini?

¹¹ Enenkxalabo enzulu ngendlela oluya kuchaphazeleka ngayo udumo lukaYise kukufa kwakhe, uYesu uyathandaza esithi: “Bawo, lizukise igama lakho.” Isihlwele esihlanganisene etempileni simangaliswa kukuva ilizwi eliphuma ezulwini, lisithi: “Ndilizukisile yaye ndiza kulizukisa kwakhona.” UMfundisi Omkhulu usebenzisa eli thuba ukuze axelele isihlwele isizathu sokuba livakale elo lizwi, oko uya kuba kuko umphumo wokufa kwakhe, nesizathu sokuba kufuneka sibe nokholo. (Yohane 12:28-36) Ngokuqinisekileyo kwiintsuku ezimbini ezidluleyo ubexakeke gqitha uYesu. Kodwa usuku lwamanqam luseza.

Imini Yeziqalekiso

12. NgoLwesibini, ngoNisan 11, iinkokeli zonqulo zizama njani ukubambisa uYesu, yaye uba yintoni umphumo?

¹² NgoLwesibini, ngoNisan 11, uYesu ubuyela etempileni eze kufundisa. Kukho abaphulaphuli abaneengcwangu. Bebhekisela koko kwenziwe nguYesu kusuku olungaphambili, ababingeleli abaziintloko namadoda amakhulu abantu bayambuza besithi: “Uzenza ngagunya liphi na ezi zinto? Yaye ngubani na okunike eli gunya?” UMfundisi oyiNkunkqele uyabamangalisa ngempendulo yakhe, yaye wenza imizekeliso emithathu ecacileyo—emibini ithetha ngomdiliya omnye uthetha ngomsitho womtshato—ukuze nje abonise abo bachasi bakhe indlela abangendawo ngayo. Zinomsindo koko zikuvayo, iinkokeli zonqulo zifuna ukumbamba. Kodwa zoyika izihlwele, ezo zigqala uYesu njengomprofeti. Ngoko zizama iqhinga ukuze athethe into enokumbambisa. UYesu uzival’ umlomo ngeempendulo zakhe.—Mateyu 21:23–22:46.

13. UYesu ubanika liphi icebiso abo baphulaphuleyo ngokuphathelele ababhali nabaFarisi?

¹³ Ekubeni ababhali nabaFarisi bezibanga befundisa uMthetho kaThixo, ngoku uYesu ubongoza abo baphulaphuleyo esithi: “Zonke izinto abanixelela zona, zenzeni, nizigcine, kodwa ningenzi ngokwezenzo zabo, kuba bathetha baze bangenzi.” (Mateyu 23:1-3) Enjani yona ukuba namandla indlela yokuqalekisa ekuhleni! Kodwa uYesu akakagqibi ngabo. Olu lusuku lwakhe lokugqibela etempileni, yaye ngenkalipho ubabhenca ngeendlela eziliqela—enye emva kwenye ngokungathi kududuma izulu.

14, 15. Ngawaphi amazwi okugxeka abukhali avakaliswa nguYesu nxamnye nababhali nabaFarisi?

¹⁴ “Yeha nina, babhali nabaFarisi, bahanahanisindini!” uYesu uvakalisa loo mazwi izihlandlo ezithandathu. Ubabiza ngaloo ndlela ngenxa yokuba, njengoko ecacisa, bavala uBukumkani bamazulu phambi kwabantu, bengabavumeli abo basendleleni engenayo ukuba bangene. Aba bahanahanisi batyhutyha ulwandle nomhlaba owomileyo ukuze baguqule umntu omnye, baze emva koko bamenze isisulu sentshabalalo kanaphakade. Ngoxa beyigatya “imibandela enzima ngakumbi yoMthetho, eyile, okusesikweni nenceba nokuthembeka,” banikela ingqalelo engakumbi ekuhlawulweni kwesishumi. Ngenxa yoko, bacoca ‘umphandle wendebe nowesitya, kodwa ngaphakathi bazele kukuphanga nokungabi nabungcathu’ kuba ukubola nokonakala kwabo okungaphakathi kufihlwe yimbonakalo yabo yangaphandle ezele uhanahaniso. Ngaphezu koko, bazimisele ukwakha amangcwaba abaprofeti baze bawahombise ukuze batsalele ingqalelo kwizenzo zabo zobubele, nangona “bengoonyana babo babulala abaprofeti.”—Mateyu 23:13-15, 23-31.

¹⁵ Egweba abachasi bakhe ngenxa yokungabi naluxabiso ngezinto zokomoya, uYesu uthi: “Yeha nina, bakhokeli abaziimfama.” Baziimfama ngokokuziphatha kuba banikela ingqalelo kwigolide esetempileni ngaphezu kokuyinikela kwixabiso lokomoya enalo loo ndawo yonqulo. Ehlabela mgama, uYesu ubagxeka kabukhali. Uthi: “Zinyokandini, nzalandini yamarhamba, niza kuwusaba njani umgwebo weGehena?” Ewe, uYesu uyabaxelela ukuba ngenxa yokusukela kwabo ikhondo lobungendawo, baya kufumana intshabalalo kanaphakade. (Mateyu 23:16-22, 33) Ngamana nathi singaba nenkalipho ekuvakaliseni isigidimi soBukumkani, kwanaxa sibandakanya ukubhenca unqulo lobuxoki.

16. Ngoxa behleli kwiNtaba yemiNquma, sisiphi isiprofeto esibalulekileyo uYesu asinika abafundi bakhe?

¹⁶ Ngoku uYesu uyemka etempileni. Ekutshoneni kwelanga, yena nabapostile bakhe bayenyuka baye kwiNtaba yemiNquma. Ngoxa behleli apho, uYesu uprofeta ngokutshatyalaliswa kwetempile nangomqondiso wobukho bakhe nowokupheliswa kwenkqubo yezinto. Intsingiselo yala mazwi esiprofeto ifikelela nakwixesha lethu. Ngaloo ngokuhlwa, uYesu uxelela abafundi bakhe oku: “Niyazi ukuba kwiintsuku ezimbini ukususela ngoku kuza kubakho ipasika, yaye uNyana womntu uza kunikelwa ukuba abethelelwe.”—Mateyu 24:1-14; 26:1, 2.

UYesu ‘Uyabathanda Abakhe De Kube Sekupheleni’

17. (a) Ebudeni bePasika ngoNisan 14, sisiphi isifundo uYesu asifundisa abali-12? (b) Yintoni esungulwa nguYesu emva kokugxotha uYudas Skariyoti?

¹⁷ Kwiintsuku ezimbini ezilandelayo—ngoNisan 12 nowe-13—uYesu akazibonakalisi ekuhleni etempileni. Iinkokeli zonqulo zifuna ukumbulala, yaye akafuni nto iza kumphazamisa xa esenza iPasika nabapostile bakhe. Xa kutshona ilanga ngoLwesine kuqalisa uNisan 14—usuku lokugqibela lokuphila kukaYesu emhlabeni njengomntu. Ngaloo ngokuhlwa, uYesu nabapostile bakhe bahlanganisene ndawonye kwindlu eseYerusalem apho balungiselelwe ukuba benzele khona iPasika. Njengoko benandipha iPasika kunye, ufundisa aba bali-12 isifundo esihle sokuthobeka ngokubahlamba iinyawo. Emva kokugxotha uYudas Skariyoti, oye wavuma ukungcatsha iNkosi yakhe ngamaqhosha esilivere angama-30—ixabiso lekhoboka ngokutsho koMthetho kaMoses—uYesu usungula iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe.—Eksodus 21:32; Mateyu 26:14, 15, 26-29; Yohane 13:2-30.

18. Ziziphi ezinye iimfundiso ezibhekele phaya ezidluliselwa nguYesu ngothando kubapostile bakhe abali-11, yaye ubaxhobisa njani njengoko eza kumka kungekudala?

¹⁸ Emva kokusungulwa kweSikhumbuzo, abapostile babandakanyeka kwingxoxo eshushu yokuba nguwuphi na omkhulu kubo bonke. Kunokuba abangxolise, ngomonde uYesu ubafundisa ngokubaluleka kokulungiselela abanye. Enoxabiso kuba beye banamathela kuye ebudeni bokuvavanywa kwakhe, wenza umnqophiso wobukumkani kunye nabo. (Luka 22:24-30) UYesu ubayalela ukuba bathandane njengoko naye ebathandile. (Yohane 13:34) Njengoko esahleli kwelo gumbi, uYesu ngothando uyabaxhobisa kuba eza kumka kungekudala. Ubaqinisekisa ngobuhlobo bakhe, uyabakhuthaza ukuba babe nokholo, yaye ubathembisa ngoncedo lomoya oyingcwele. (Yohane 14:1-17; 15:15) Ngaphambi kokuba aphume kuloo ndlu, uYesu ubongoza uYise esithi: “Ilixa lifikile; mzukise unyana wakho, ukuze unyana wakho akuzukise.” Eneneni, uYesu ubaxhobisile abapostile bakhe kuba eza kumka, yaye ngokuqinisekileyo ‘ubathandile abakhe de kwasekupheleni.’—Yohane 13:1; 17:1.

19. Yintoni ebangela ukuba uYesu abe sentlungwini kumyezo waseGetsemane?

¹⁹ Kumele ukuba kusemva kwasezinzulwini zobusuku xa uYesu nabapostile bakhe abali-11 befika kumyezo waseGetsemane. Ngokufuthi ubethanda ukuya apho nabapostile bakhe. (Yohane 18:1, 2) Kwiiyure ezizayo, uYesu uza kufa njengesaphuli-mthetho esicekisekayo. Intlungu yokucinga ngoko kuza kumehlela nendlela ekunokuzisa ugculelo ngayo kuYise iqatha kangangokuba ngoxa uYesu ethandaza, ukubila kwakhe kuba njengamathontsi egazi esiwa emhlabeni. (Luka 22:41-44) UYesu uthi kubapostile: “Ilixa lifikile! Khangelani! Umngcatshi wam usondele.” Ngoxa esathetha, uYudas Skariyoti uyasondela, ekhatshwa sisihlwele esikhulu esiphethe izibane nezixhobo. Baze kubamba uYesu. Akaxhathisi. Uyachaza: “Ngoko, beziya kuzaliseka njani iZibhalo ezithi kumele kwenzeke ngale ndlela?”—Marko 14:41-43; Mateyu 26:48-54.

UNyana Womntu Uzukisiwe!

20. (a) Ziziphi izinto ezimanyumnyezi ezehlela uYesu ngaphambi kokubanjwa kwakhe? (b) Kwimizuzwana nje ngaphambi kokuba afe, yintoni ebangela ukuba uYesu adanduluke athi: “Kufeziwe”?

²⁰ Emva kokubanjwa kwakhe, uYesu utyholwa ngobungqina bobuxoki, abagwebi abanomkhethe bamfumanisa enetyala, yaye uPontiyo Pilato uwisa isigwebo, ugculelwa ngababingeleli namahlokondiba, yaye amajoni enza intlekisa ngaye aze amthuthumbise. (Marko 14:53-65; 15:1, 15; Yohane 19:1-3) NgoLwesihlanu emini emaqanda, uYesu ubethelelwa kwisibonda sentuthumbo yaye uva intlungu enganyamezelekiyo njengoko ubunzima bomzimba wakhe bubangela ukuba akrazuke kuvele amanxeba ezandleni nasezinyaweni. (Yohane 19:17, 18) Malunga nentsimbi yesithathu emva kwemini, uYesu uyadanduluka esithi: “Kufeziwe!” Ewe, ukugqibile konke oko ebezele kona emhlabeni. Emva kokuwunikela kuThixo umoya wakhe, uqubuda intloko yakhe aze afe. (Yohane 19:28, 30; Mateyu 27:45, 46; Luka 23:46) Emva kosuku lwesithathu, uYehova uyamvusa uNyana wakhe. (Marko 16:1-6) Kwiintsuku ezingama-40 emva kokuvuswa kwakhe, uYesu unyukela emazulwini yaye uyazukiswa.—Yohane 17:5; IZenzo 1:3, 9-12; Filipi 2:8-11.

21. Sinokumxelisa njani uYesu?

²¹ ‘Sinokulandela ngokusondeleyo njani emanyathelweni kaYesu’? (1 Petros 2:21) Njengaye, masizibhokoxe ngamandla kumsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani nowokwenza abafundi size silithethe ngenkalipho ilizwi likaThixo. (Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20; IZenzo 4:29-31; Filipi 1:14) Masingaze silibale ukuba sindawoni kumsinga wexesha okanye sisilele ukuvuselelana eluthandweni nasemisebenzini emihle. (Marko 13:28-33; Hebhere 10:24, 25) Ngamana singavumela ukuba zonke izenzo zethu zilawulwe kukuthanda kukaYehova uThixo nakukwazi ukuba siphila ‘kwixesha lesiphelo.’—Daniyeli 12:4.

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

• Ukwazi kukaYesu ukuba ukufa kwakhe kusondele kwabuchaphazela njani ubulungiseleli bakhe bokugqibela kwitempile yaseYerusalem?

• Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uYesu ‘wabathanda abakhe de kwasekupheleni’?

• Iziganeko zeeyure zokugqibela zobomi bukaYesu zibonisa ntoni ngaye?

• Sinokumxelisa njani uKristu Yesu kubulungiseleli bethu?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

UYesu “wabathanda de kwasekupheleni”