Abengubani Johane UMbhabhatisi?
Lokushiwo liBhayibheli
Johane uMbhabhatisi bekangumphrofethi waNkulunkulu. (Lukha 1:76) Watalwa ngasekupheleni kwelikhulu lekucala B.C.E. futsi waphila kwaze kwaba likhulu lekucala C.E. Nkulunkulu wamtfuma kutsi alungisele Mesiya nobe Khristu indlela. Johane walungiselela Mesiya ngekutsi ashumayele umlayeto waNkulunkulu kumaJuda kuze aphendvuke.—Makho 1:1-4; Lukha 1:13, 16, 17.
Umlayeto waJohane bewutawusita labo lebebatamlalela babone kutsi Jesu waseNazaretha unguMesiya lotsenjisiwe. (Matewu 11:10) Johane wakhutsata labo lebebamlalele kutsi baphendvuke etonweni tabo, futsi babhajatiswe kuze bakhombise kutsi baphendvukile. (Lukha 3:3-6) Ngenca yekutsi wabhabhatisa bantfu labanyenti, Johane ubitwa ngekutsi nguMbhabhatisi. Lubhabhatiso lolubaluleke kakhulu lolwentiwa nguJohane, lwaJesu.a—Makho 1:9.
Lokutawukhulunywa ngako kulesihloko
Yini leyenta Johane uMbhabhatisi wehluka kulabanye bantfu?
Kwaphrofethwa ngemsebenti lebekatawenta: Ngekwenta umsebenti wekushumayela, Johane wagcwalisa siphrofetho lesimayelana nesitfunywa. (Malakhi 3:1; Matewu 3:1-3) Wativeta anguloyo lebekatawusita bantfu kutsi “balungele kukhonta Jehova,”—lokusho kutsi, wasita emaJuda akubo kutsi emukele umlayeto waJesu Khristu, lebekasitfunywa lesiyinhloko saJehova Nkulunkulu.—Lukha 1:17.
Lokwafezwa nguJohane: Jesu watsi, “kute ngisho namunye lowabamkhulu kunaJohane uMbhabhatisi, kodvwa loyo lomncane eMbusweni wemazulu mkhulu kunaye.” (Matewu 11:11) Ngaphambi kwaJohane kute sikhonti saNkulunkulu lesabasikhulu kunaye ngobe yena abengumphrofethi aphindze “asitfunywa” lokwaphrofethwa ngaso. Loko lokwashiwo nguJesu kuphindze kukhombise kutsi Johane angeke abeseMbusweni wasezulwini.b Lomphrofethi lowetsembekile wafa ngaphambi kwekutsi Jesu avule indlela yekuyophila ezulwini. (KumaHebheru 10:19, 20) Nobe kunjalo, Johane utawuphila phakadze emhlabeni loliPharadisi nasekubusa uMbuso waNkulunkulu.—Tihlabelelo 37:29; Lukha 23:43.
Bekubobani batali baJohane uMbhabhatisi?
Batali baJohane bekunguZakhariya na-Elizabethe, futsi bebashadile. Zakhariya bekangumphristi longumJuda. Kutalwa kwaJohane bekusimangaliso ngobe make wakhe bekangabatfoli bantfwana. Ngetulu kwaloko, yena naZakhariya “besebakhule kakhulu.”—Lukha 1:5-7, 13.
Ngubani lowabulala Johane uMbhabhatisi?
Herodiyasi umfati weNkhosi Herodi Antipasi wacela lenkhosi kutsi ijube inhloko yaJohane. Herodiyasi bekamzonda Johane, ngobe Johane watjela Herodi lebekangumJuda kutsi umshado wakhe naHerodiyasi bewungekho emtsetfweni ngephansi kwemtsetfo wemaJuda.—Matewu 14:1-12; Makho 6:16-19.
Bebabangisana yini boJohane uMbhabhatisi naJesu
Kute bufakazi lobuseBhayibhelini lobuveta kutsi bebatimbangi. (Johane 3:25-30) Ecinisweni, Johane waveta kutsi umsebenti wakhe bewukulungisela Mesiya indlela hhayi kuncintisana naye. Johane watsi: “Mine ngibhabhatisa ngemanti . . . kuze atowatiwa ka-Israyeli.” Waphindze watsi: “Lena yiNdvodzana yaNkulunkulu.” (Johane 1:26-34) Ngako Johane wajabula kakhulu nakeva ngemsebenti lomuhle lebewentiwa nguJesu.
a Jesu “akentanga sono.” (1 Phetro 2:21, 22) Wabhajatiswa, kuze ente intsandvo yaNkulunkulu, hhayi ngobe bekudzingeka aphendvuke. Lokwenta intsandvo yaNkulunkulu bekufaka ekhatsi kunikela ngekuphila kwakhe ngenca yetfu.—KumaHebheru 10:7-10.
b Buka sihloko lesitsi “Bobani Labaya Ezulwini?”