UJesu Uqala Ukwenza Abafundi

Ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-40 esehlane, uJesu ubuyela kuJohane owayembhapathizile, ngaphambi kokuba aye eGalile. Lapho uJesu eqhamuka, uJohane uyamkhomba bese ethi kulabo abami naye: “Bhekani, iWundlu likaNkulunkulu elisusa isono sezwe! Lo nguye engasho ngaye ngathi: ‘Emva kwami kuza umuntu ovele ngaphambi kwami, ngoba waba khona kuqala kunami.’” (Johane 1:29, 30) Nakuba uJohane emdadlana kunoJesu, uyazi ukuthi uJesu wayephila ezulwini njengomuntu womoya ngaphambi kokuba yena azalwe.

Emasontweni ambalwa ngaphambili, lapho uJesu eza ezobhapathizwa, uJohane wabonakala engaqiniseki ukuthi uJesu wayezoba uMesiya. UJohane uyavuma, “Ngisho nami bengingamazi, kodwa isizathu sokuba ngize ngibhapathize ngamanzi sasiwukuba abonakaliswe ku-Israyeli.”—Johane 1:31.

UJohane ube esetshela labo abamlalele ukuthi kwenzekeni ngesikhathi ebhapathiza uJesu, uthi: “Ngibone umoya wehla njengejuba uvela ezulwini, wahlala phezu kwakhe. Ngisho nami bengingamazi, kodwa Yena kanye ongithume ukuba ngibhapathize ngamanzi wathi kimi: ‘Noma ubani oyobona umoya wehlela phezu kwakhe futhi uhlale kuye, lowo nguye obhapathiza ngomoya ongcwele.’ Ngikubonile lokho, futhi ngifakazile ukuthi lo uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”—Johane 1:32-34.

UJohane ukanye nabafundi bakhe ababili ngosuku olulandelayo lapho uJesu ephinde eqhamuka. UJohane uthi: “Bhekani, iWundlu likaNkulunkulu!” (Johane 1:36) Lapho esho lokhu, laba bafundi ababili bakaJohane uMbhapathizi balandela uJesu. Omunye wabo u-Andreya. Cishe lona yilowo owabhala ngalesi senzakalo, naye obizwa ngokuthi uJohane. Kubonakala sengathi lo Johane uhlobene noJesu, ngoba uzalwa nguSalome. Cishe uSalome ungudadewabo kaMariya, futhi umyeni wakhe nguZebedewu.

Lapho uJesu ephenduka ebona u-Andreya noJohane bemlandela, uyababuza: “Nifunani?”

Nabo bayambuza: “Rabi, uhlalaphi?”

UJesu uyabaphendula: “Wozani, nizobona.”—Johane 1:37-39.

Isikhathi sekungaba yihora lesine ntambama, futhi u-Andreya noJohane bahlala noJesu luze luphele lolo suku. U-Andreya ujabule kakhulu kangangokuba lapho ethola umfowabo uSimoni, owaziwa nangokuthi uPetru, uthi kuye: “Simtholile uMesiya.” (Johane 1:41) U-Andreya ube eseyisa uPetru kuJesu. Okwenzeka kamuva kubonisa ukuthi noJohane wahlangana nomfowabo uJakobe wabe esemletha kuJesu; nokho, uJohane uyayishiya le mininingwane lapho ebhala indaba yakhe.

Ngosuku olulandelayo, uJesu uhlangana noFiliphu waseBhetsayida. Leli dolobha liseduze nogu olusenyakatho yoLwandle LwaseGalile futhi yilapho u-Andreya noPetru abavela khona. UJesu umema uFiliphu athi: “Yiba umlandeli wami.”—Johane 1:43.

Kamuva uFiliphu uhlangana noNathanayeli, owaziwa nangokuthi uBartolomewu, athi kuye: “Simtholile lowo uMose kanye nabaProfethi ababhala ngaye eMthethweni: uJesu, indodana kaJosefa, waseNazaretha.” UNathanayeli uyangabaza athi kuFiliphu: “Kukhona yini okuhle okungaphuma eNazaretha?”

UFiliphu uthi, “Woza ubone.” UJesu ubona uNathanayeli eza bese ethi: “Bheka, umIsrayeli weqiniso okungekho nkohliso kuye.”

UNathanayeli uthi kuye, “Ungazi kanjani?”

UJesu umphendula athi: “Ngikubone ngaphambi kokuba uFiliphu akubize, ngesikhathi uphansi kwesihlahla somkhiwane.”

UNathanayeli uyamangala athi: “Rabi, wena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, uyiNkosi yakwa-Israyeli.”

UJesu ube esethi kuye, “Ukholwa ngoba ngikutshele ukuthi ngikubone ungaphansi kwesihlahla somkhiwane? Uzobona izinto ezinkulu kunalezi.” UJesu ube esebathembisa: “Ngiqinisile impela ngithi kini madoda, nizobona izulu livulekile nezingelosi zikaNkulunkulu zehla zenyuka ziza eNdodaneni yomuntu.”—Johane 1:45-51.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokhu, uJesu nabafundi bakhe asanda kubathola, bayasuka eSigodini saseJordani baye eGalile.