Ukuphila NeNkonzo KaJesu

Ithemba Lovuko

UJESU ekugcineni ufika emaphethelweni aseBethani, umuzi ocishe ube ngamakhilomitha amathathu ukusuka eJerusalema. Sekuyizinsukwana uLazaru efile futhi wangcwatshwa, futhi odadewabo uMariya noMarta basamlilela, futhi abaningi baye beza ekhaya labo ukuzobaduduza.

Lapho besalila, othile utshela uMarta ukuthi uJesu usendleleni. Khona-ke uyahamba ephuthuma ukumhlangabeza, ngokusobala engamtshelanga udadewabo. Uma efika kuJesu, uMarta uphinda lokho yena nodadewabo okungenzeka baye bakusho izikhathi eziningi phakathi nezinsuku ezine ezidlule: “Uma ubukhona, umnewethu nga engafanga.”

Nokho, uMarta uzwakalisa ukuba nethemba, egigiyela ukuthi uJesu usengamenzela okuthile umfowabo. Uthi, “Ngiyazi nakalokhu ukuthi nokuba yini ongakucela kuNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu uzakukunika khona.”

UJesu uyamethembisa: “Umnewenu uzakuvuka.”

UMarta uqonda uJesu njengokhuluma ngovuko lwesikhathi esizayo lwasemhlabeni, lolo uAbrahama nezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezabheka kulo. Khona-ke uyaphendula: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uyakuvuka ekuvukeni ngosuku lokugcina.”

Nokho, uJesu unikeza ithemba lokukhululeka okuseduze, ephendula: “Mina ngingukuvuka nokuphila.” Ukhumbuza uMarta ukuthi uNkulunkulu umnikeze amandla phezu kokufa, ethi: “Okholwa yimi, noma efa, wophila. Nalowo ophila, akholwe yimi, kasoze afa naphakade.”

UJesu akasikiseli kuMarta ukuthi abakholwayo ababephila ngalesosikhathi ngeke bafe. Cha, kodwa iphuzu alivezayo liwukuthi ukukholwa kuye kungaholela ekuphileni okuphakade. Ukuphila okunjalo kuyojatshulelwa abantu abaningi ngokomphumela wokuba kwabo abavusiwe osukwini lokugcina. Kodwa abanye abakholwayo bayosinda esiphelweni salesimiso sezinto emhlabeni, futhi ngalaba amazwi kaJesu ayoba yiqiniso ngomqondo ongokoqobo. Abasoze bafa nanini! Ngemva kwalenkulumo ephawulekayo, uJesu ubuza uMarta, “Uyakholwa yilokho na?”

Uyaphendula: “Yebo, Nkosi, ngiyakholwa ukuthi wena unguKristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, obezakuza ezweni.”

Khona-ke uMarta uphindela emuva ngokushesha eyobiza udadewabo, emtshela ngasese: “Umfundisi ukhona, uyakubiza.” Ngokushesha uMariya uyaphuma endlini. Lapho abanye bembona ehamba, bayalandela, becabanga ukuthi uya ethuneni.

Uma efika kuJesu, uMariya uguqa ngamadolo ngasezinyaweni zakhe ekhala. Uthi: “Nkosi, uma ubukhona, umnewethu nga engafanga.” UJesu uthinteka kakhulu lapho ebona ukuthi uMariya nezixuku zabantu abamlandelayo bayakhala. “Nimbekephi na?” uyabuza.

“Nkosi, woza ubone,” bayaphendula.

NoJesu uyakhala, ebangela amaJuda ukuba athi: “Bheka, ukumthanda kwakhe okungaka.”

Abanye bayakhumbula ukuthi uJesu, ngesikhathi soMkhosi Wamadokodo ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ezedlule, wayephulukise insizwa eyayizalwe iyimpumputhe, futhi bayabuza: “Lo owavula amehlo empumputhe wayengekwenze yini ukuba yena lo angafi na?” Johane 5:21; 6:40; 9:1-7; 11:17-37.

◆ Kunini lapho ekugcineni uJesu efika khona eduze naseBethani, futhi siyini isimo lapho?

◆ Yisiphi isisekelo uMarta anaso sokukholelwa ovukweni?

◆ Uthinteka kanjani uJesu ngokufa kukaLazaru?