59—Amacebo Ababingeleli
[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuYohane 11:47-54.]
IBhetani yayikufuphi kakhulu eYerusalem kangangokuba iindaba zokuvuswa kukaLazaro zakhawuleza zaya kufika esixekweni. Ngeentlola ezawubonayo ummangaliso, abaphathi bamaYuda bakhawuleza ukuba nazo iinkcukacha. Intlanganiso yequmrhu leSanhedrin yabizwa kwangoko ukuba ithabathe isigqibo ngento ekufuneka yenziwe. UKristu ngoku wayelubonakalalise ngokupheleleyo ulawulo lwaKhe phezu kokufa nengcwaba. Loo mmangaliso mkhulu wawububungqina bokugqibela obanikwa nguThixo ebantwini bokuba wamthuma uNyana waKhe ehlabathini ukuze basindiswe. Yayikukubonisa ukuba amandla kaThixo anako ukuyoyisa yonke ingqondo elawulwa kukucinga nesazela esikhanyiselweyo. Abaninzi abakubonayo ukuvuswa kukaLazaro bakhokelelwa ekubeni bakholelwe kuYesu. Yona intiyo yababingeleli ngakuYe yaya iqina. Babebulandulile bonke ubungqina obunganeno bobuThixo baKhe, baza ngoku bavutha ngumsindo ngenxa yalo mmangaliso mtsha. Abafileyo bavuswa emini ilanga lihlabe umhlaba, phambi kwesihlwele esasijongile. Kwakungekho buqhetseba babunokubuchitha ubungqina obunjalo. Kanye ngenxa yesi sizathu, ubutshaba bababingeleli bakhula bayingozi embi kakhulu. Bazimisela ngakumbi ukuba bawuyekise umsebenzi kaKristu.ULw 537.1
AbaSadusi, nangona babengamginyi kakuhle uKristu, babengazelanga yinkohlakalo kangako ngakuYe njengokuba babenjalo abaFarisi.Intiyo yabo yayingekhokrakrakangako. Babothuke kakhulu kodwa ngoku. Babengakholelwa eluvukweni lwabafileyo. Beveza ekwakubizwa ngokuthi lulwazi, babezathuza bathi awukwazi umzimba ofileyo ukubuyiselwa ebomini. Kwathi, kodwa, ngamazwi ambalwa nje kaYesu, imfundiso yabo yoyiswa. Baboniswa ukuba abazi nto ngeziBhalo kunye namandla kaThixo. Abazange bakwazi ukubona ukuba bangaze bayisuse njani ingqondo esebantwini eyenziwa ngummangaliso. Angasuswa njani umntu kuLowo ukwazileyo ukuliphanga ingcwaba abantu balo abafileyo? Kwajikeleziswa iingxelo ezixokayo, kodwa ummangaliso wawungakwazi ukukhanyelwa, abakwazi nokuyithinteleka impembelelo yawo ummangaliso lowo. Kude kube ngoku, abaSadusi babengazange bayikhuthaze into yokubulala uKristu. Sekunjalo, emva kokuvuswa kukaLazaro, bagqiba kwelokuba, kuphela ngokufa kwaKhe ekunokuthi kupheliswe ukubahlasela kwaKhe ngesibindi.ULw 538.1
AbaFarisi babekholelwa eluvukweni, baza abakwazi ukubona enye into ngaphandle kokuba lo mmangaliso ububungqina bokuba uMesiya wayephakathi kwabo. Phofu babehleli bewuchasa umsebenzi kaKristu. Kwasekuqaleni, bamthiya uYesu kuba watyhila ukuzenzisa kwabo kokuhanahanisa. Wayikrazula wayilahla ingubo yeenkonzo ezazininzi ekwakufihlakele ngaphantsi kwazo ukungaziphathi kakuhle kwabo. Inkolo enyulu awayeyifundisa yabugxeka ubungcwele babo obabungaphethe nto. Banxanelwa ukunga bangaphindezelwa kuYe ngokubathethisa ngokuthe gca. Babezamile ukumxhokonxa ukuba ade athethe okanye enze into eyayiza kubanika ikroba lokuba bamgwebe. Amaxesha amaninzi babezame ukumxuluba ngamatye, kodwa wayesuka azithi sululu emke, baze bangamboni.ULw 538.2
Imimangaliso awayeyenza ngeSabatha yonke yayiyeyokukhulula ababandezelweyo, kodwa abaFarisi bafuna ukumgweba njengowaphula iSabatha. Babezamile ukuvusa amaHerode ukuba amchase. Bathi wayefuna ukumisa ubukumkani benkcaso, baza bathetha nawo ngendlela yokumbulala. Ukwenza ukuba amaRoma amchase, ambeka ngokuthi uzama ukubhukuqa igunya lawo. Babezizamile zonke izizathu zokumthintela ukuba angabi nayo impembelelo ebantwini. Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, imizamo yabo yaba lilize. Izihlwele ezayibonayo imisebenzi yaKhe yenceba zaziva iimfundiso zaKhe ezinyulu nezingcwele, zaya zazi ukuba ezi zazingezizo izenzo namazwi omaphuli weSabatha okanye umnyelisi. Namagosa awayethunyelwa ngabaFarisi ayesuka aphenjelelwe ngamazwi aKhe atsho angakwazi ukumbamba. Ngokuxakwa nokuphelelwa lithemba, amaYuda, ekugqibeleni enza umthetho wokuba, nabani na othe uyakholwa kuYesu umelwe kukulahlelwa ngaphandle kwendlu yesikhungu.ULw 538.3
Ngoko ke, njengokuba ababingeleli, abaphathi, namadoda amakhulu bonke babehlangene bebonisana, yinto ababesele bezimisele kuyo eyokubabamthulise Lowo wayesenza imisebenzi emangalisa ngolo hlobo, eyayimangalisa bonke abantu. AbaFarisi nabaSadusi baya basondelelana kakhulu kunoko bakha banjalo ngaphambili. Njengokuba babahlukene ukuza kuthi ga kweli thuba, basuka bamanyana ekuchaseni uKristu. UNikodemo noYosefu, kwiintlanganiso zangaphambili, babekwalile ukugwetywa kukaYesu, kwaza ngenxa yeso sizathu, babizwa ukuba bazokuphendula. Kwakukho apho entlanganisweni yequmrhu amadoda anempembelelo awayekholelwa kuYesu, kodwa impembelelo yawo ayakwazi ukuyichasa ngempumelelo leyo yayinobungozi yabaFarisi. ULw 539.1
Kanti ke sekunjalo, amalungu equmrhu ayengavumelani wonke. ISanhedrin ngeli xesha yayingeyiyo intlangano esemthethweni. Yayikho kuphela ngokunyamezelana. Amanye amalungu ayo ayenengxaki ngokubulawa kukaKristu. Ayesoyika ukuba oku kungavusa umoya wovukelo phakathi kwabantu, kwenze ukuba amaRoma azibambe ezinye izinwe zawo ngakubabingeleli, nokulisusa kubo igunya awayesalibambile. AbaSadusi babemanyene ekumthiyeni kwabo uKristu, lo gama kwakufuneka bechule ukunyathela ngeentshukumo zabo, besoyikela ukuba amaRoma angabahlutha ukuhlonitshwa abakuxhamlayo. ULw 539.2
Kweli qumrhu, elalihlanganele ukuceba ukufa kukaKristu, lalikho iNgqina elawavayo amazwi okuzigwagwisa kukaNebhukadenetsare, nelalikho esidlweni sezithixo sikaBheleshatsare, nelalikho xa uKristu eNazarete wathi ungoThanjisiweyo. Eli Ngqina ngoku lalinika uluvo kubalawuli ngomsebenzi abawenzayo. Iziganeko zobomi bukaKristu zavela phambi kwabo zinembonakalo ecace kangangokuba yabothusa. Bakhumbula umbono wasetempileni, xa uYesu, esengumntwana ominyaka ilishumi elinambini, wema phambi kwezona nzululwazi zomthetho, ezibuza imibuzo eyazimangalisayo. Ummangaliso owawusanda kwenziwa waba nobungqina bokuba uYesu wayengenguwumbi, ngaphandle kokuba nguNyana kaThixo. Ngokubaluleka kwazo ngokwenene, iziBhalo zeTestamente eNdala ezingoKristu zakhanya ngokombane ezingqondweni zabo. Bedidekile, bekhathazekile, abaphathi babuza, “Senze ntoni?” Kwabakho ukwahlukana kwiqumrhu. Phantsi kokuqhutywa nguMoya Oyingcwele, ababingeleli nabaphathi babengakwazi ukuyigxotha ingcamango yokuba babesilwa noThixo. ULw 539.3
Kuthe ngeli xesha iqumrhu lalikwincopho yokudideka, uKayafa umbingeleli omkhulu wasukuma. UKayafa wayengumntu onekratshi nokhohlakeleyo, enyanzelisa engakwazi kunyamezela nto. Phakathi kwabo babezalana naye ngokuzalwa, kwakukho abaSadusi—ababe nekratshi, benobugagu, bengakhathali, bezele ngamabhongo nenkohlakalo, izinto ababezifihle phantsi kwengubo yobulungisa bokuzenzisa. UKayafa wayezifundile iziprofeto, kwathi nangona wayengayazi eyona ntsingiselo yazo, wathetha ngegunya nengqiniseko enkulu: “Anazi nto nina; kananjalo aniqondi ukuba kusilungele, ukuba kufe umntu abe mnye ngenxa yabantu, ukuze lungatshabalali uhlanga luphela.” Nokuba uYesu ebemsulwa, umbingeleli omkhulu wakhuthaza ngelithi, umele ukuba asuswe endleleni. Wayenenkathazo, etsalela abantu kuYe, elicutha igunya labaphathi. Waye eyedwa; kwakulungile ke ngoko ukuba afe, kunokuba igunya lithezwe amandla. Ukuba abantu babeza kulahlekwa kukuthemba abaphathi, igunya lesizwe laliza kutshabalala. UKayafa wakhuthaza ukuba, emva kwalo mmangaliso, abalandeli bakaYesu kwakunokwenzeka ukuba babe novukelo. Loo nto yayiza kwenza ukuba amaRoma aze, ngokutsho kwakhe, ayivale itempile yethu, ayibhangise imithetho yethu, asitshabalalise njengesizwe. Liyintoni ixabiso lalo waseGalili xa lithelekiswa nobomi besizwe? Ukuba umi endleleni yentlalo entle kaIsrayeli, asikukwenzela uThixo imfesane na ukumsusa? Kulunge kanye ukuba kutshabalale umntu omnye kunokuba kutshabalale isizwe sonke.ULw 539.4
Ukuba umi endleleni yokuhlala kakuhle kukaIsrayeli, akulungile na ukuba simncede uThixo ngokuthi simsuse” Kuhle kufe umntu omnye kunokuba kutshabalale isizwe sonke.ULw 540.1
Ekuthini kumele kufe umntu omnye endaweni yesizwe, uKayafa wabonisa ukuba unalo ulwazi lweziprofeto, nangona lwalungabhekanga pha. Yena uYohane kwingxelo yakhe yalo mboniso, uthabatha isiprofeto, abonise ububanzi nobunzulu bokubaluleka kwaso. Uthi, “Kungabi ngenxa yohlanga olo lodwa, kube ngenxa yabantwana bakaThixo abalusali, ukuba abahlanganisele ndawonye.” Ukungaboni okungako athe ngako uKayafa oziphakamisileyo wawuvuma ngako umsebenzi azele wona uMsindisi! ULw 540.2
Emilebeni kaKayafa, le nyaniso ixabiseke kakhulu yajika yaba bubuxoki. Inkqubo awayeyicebisa yayakhelwe phezu komthetho-siseko owabolekwa kubuhedeni. Phakathi kwabahedeni, ingqondo emfiliba yokuba othile kwakufuneka afele uhlanga loluntu, yakhokelela ekwenziweni kwemibingelelo ngabantu. Ngoko ke, uKayafa wayecebisa ngelithi, ngomnikelo [okanye ngombingelelo] kaYesu ukuze kusinde isizwe esinetyala, sesingasasindi kuba sigqithe umthetho, kodwa sisaphula umthetho, baya kuqhubeka behleli esonweni. Ngokuzathuza kwakhe, wayecinga ukuthulisa izishwabulo zabo babenesibindi sokuthetha oko nangona kwakungekabikho nto ifanele ukufa ethe yafunyanwa kuYesu. ULw 540.3
Kweli qumrhu, iintshaba zikaKristu zazigwebeke ngokunzulu. UMoya Oyingcwele wayesebenzile ezingqondweni zazo. Noko kunjalo, uSathana wazama ukuzilawula. Wazenza ukuba ziphawule indlela ezihlungiswe ngayo ngenxa kaKristu. Indlela angabubonelanga ntweni ngayo ubulungisa bazo. Wabeka phambi kwazo ubulungisa obukhulu kakhulu, ekufuneka bonke abaya kuba ngabantwana bakaThixo babe nabo. Engayikhathalelanga imo yabo neenkonzo zabo, wayebakhuthaza aboni ukuba baye ngqo kuThixo njengoko enguBawo onenceba, bazibeke phambi kwaKhe iimfuno zabo. Ngaloo ndlela, ngokwengcinga yabo, [uKristu] wayebubeke bucala ububingeleli babo. Wayeyalile imfundo engoThixo ezikolweni zabafundisi [oorabhi]. Wazityhila izenzo ezikhohlakeleyo zababingeleli, wayonakalisa ngokungenako ukulungiseka impembelelo yabo. Waligqwalisa igalelo lezaci nezithethe zabo, esithi, nangona bewanyanzelisa ngqongqo amatiletile okukhonza, bawenza into engento umthetho kaThixo. Konke oku, uSathana wakubuyisela ezingqondweni zabo.ULw 540.4
USathana wabaxelela ukuba, ukuze baligcine igunya labo, kufuneka bembulele uYesu. Eli cebiso lalandelwa. Into yokuba babengayi kulahlekwa ligunya ababelisebenzisa ngoko, baya bacinga ukuba oko kusisizathu esaneleyo sokuba bafikelele kwisigqibo esithile. Ngaphandle kwebathwana lamalungu angazange abenaso isibindi sokuthetha oko akucingayo, iSanhedrin yawamkela amazwi kaKayafa njengamazwi kaThixo. Kwabakho ukukhululeka equmrhwini; kwaphela ukukruthakruthana. Bagqiba ukuba bambulale uKristu ngako nje ukuba ithuba elifanelekileyo libekho. Ekwaleni ubungqina bobuThixo bukaYesu, aba babingeleli nabaphathi bazivalela ngaphaya kobona bumnyama bungqingqwa. Babengene ngokupheleleyo phantsi kokulukuhlwa nguSathana, ebaqweqwedisela emngciphekweni wentshabalalo engunaphakade. Ngoku kunjalo kanye ukukhohliswa kwabo, babekholiseke kakhulu yindlela abayiyo. Bazithabatha njengabathandi besizwe, ababefuna ukusindiswa kwesizwe. ULw 541.1
Noko sekunjalo, iSanhedrin yayisoyika ukuthabatha amanyathelo ngakuYesu ngokungxama, hleze abantu bangavuswa umnyele, ukuze ubundlongondlongo obubalelwa kuYe buziswe phezu kwabo [bona malungu eSanhedrin]. Ngenxa yoku, iqumrhu lakulibazisa ukusiphumeza isigwebo ababesiwisile. UMsindisi wayekuqonda ukuceba kwababingeleli. Wayesazi ukuba balangazelela ukumsusa, nokuba injongo yabo yayisele iza kufezeka. Kwakungekuko okwaKhe ukuyikhawulezisa intlekele, waza wemka kuloo mmandla, esimka nabafundi baKhe. Ngoko ke, ngowaKhe umzekelo, uYesu waphinda wayibethelela imfundiso awayebanike yona abafundi, ethi, “Xa ke benitshutshisa kuloo mzi, sabelani kuwumbi.” Mat. 10:23. Kwakukho umhlaba omkhulu wokusebenzela ukusindiswa kwemiphefumlo; kwaye, ngaphandle kokuba ukunyaniseka kuYe kwakufuna njalo, abasebenzi beNkosi kwakungafuneki ukuba babubeke engozini ubomi babo. ULw 541.2
UYesu ngeli xesha wayenikele iminyaka emithathu emsebenzini wasesidlangalaleni. Umzekelo waKhe wokuzilandula nowobubele obungasekelezanga nzuzo wawuphambi kwabo. Ubomi baKhe bobunyulu, nokuzinikela, babusaziwa ngabo bonke. Kanti ke, eli xesha lifutshane leminyaka emithathu, lalilide kangangokuba ihlabathi lalinokukwazi ukunyamezela ubukho boMhlanguli walo. ULw 541.3
Ubomi baKhe babubobokutshutshiswa nokugculelwa. Egxothiwe eBhetelehem ngukumkani onomona, aliwe ngabantu bakubo eNazarete, egwetyelwe ukufa ngaphandle kwesizathu eYerusalem, ekunye nabalandelibaKhe abambalwa, wafumana indawo yokuphephela kwisixeko sasemzini. Lowo, wayehlala echukumiseka zizililo zoluntu, owayephilisa abagulayo, ebuyisela ukubona kwabazimfama, nokuva kwabazizithulu, owayesondla abalambileyo, ethuthuzela abasezinyembezini, wagxothwa ebantwini awayesebenzela ukubasindisa. Lowo wayehamba phezu kwamaza ahla enyuka, athi ngelizwi laKhe akuthulise ukugquma kwawo okunomsindo, owayekhupha iidemon ezazisithi ekumkeni kwazo zimvume ukuba unguNyana kaThixo, owanqamla ubuthongo babafileyo, owathmba amawakaanga ayaphupha ngamazwi waKhe obulumko, akazange akwazi ukufikelela ezintliziyweni zabo babemfamekiswe likratshi nentiyo, nabathi, ngenkani, bakwala ukukhanya.ULw 541.4