Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi
Ingabe ngokukaMathewu 11:11 kufanele siphethe ngokuthi uJesu wayazi kusengaphambili ukuthi uJohane uMbhapathizi wayeyofa ngaphambi kwakhe?
Yebo, ngokusobala uJesu wayazi ukuthi uJohane wayengeke aqhubeke ephila abe umKristu ogcotshiwe, ngoba uJesu wathi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Kwabazelwe ngabesifazane akuvelanga omkhulu kunoJohane uMbhapathizi; kepha omncane embusweni wezulu mkhulu kunaye.”—Mathewu 11:11.
Lapho ingelosi uGabriyeli imemezela ukuzalwa kukaJohane okwakuza, yabikezela ukuthi uJohane, ‘ngomoya nangamandla kaEliya, wayeyolungisela uJehova abantu abalungisiwe.’ UJohane kwakumelwe abe umanduleli, alungiselele abantu uMesiya kaJehova. Kodwa akukho kulesosimemezelo saphezulu okwakubonisa ukuthi uJohane ngokwakhe wayeyoba umfundi kaMesiya owayeza, futhi akukho okwakusikisela lokho emazwini angokwesiprofetho ashiwo uyise kaJohane, uZakariya.—Luka 1:17, 67-79.
Ngakho-ke, ngemva kokubhapathiza uJesu, uJohane waqhubeka eshumayela futhi ebhapathiza, enamathela esabelweni sakhe sokulungiselela abantu. UJohane wayazi ngokuyisimangaliso ukuthi uJesu wayeyobhapathiza ngomoya ongcwele, kodwa uJohane akashongo ukuthi yena ngokwakhe wayeyokwamukela umoya ongcwele, abe umKristu ogcotshiwe. (Mathewu 3:11) UJohane waqaphela futhi ukuthi wayeyoqhubeka encipha, kanti uJesu wayeyoqhubeka ekhula.—Johane 3:22-30.
Lapho uJesu esho lokho esikufunda kuMathewu 11:11, uJohane wayeseboshiwe kakade. UJesu wakwenza kwaziwa kusengaphambili ukuthi lomprofethi oboshiwe wayemncane kunomncinyane lowo esikhathini esizayo owayeyokhonza njengenkosi engumpristi emazulwini. Nokho, kubonakala sengathi uJesu wayazi futhi ukuthi uJohane wayezofa maduzane, adlule emhlabeni ngaphambi kokuba indlela “entsha” eya ekuphileni kwasezulwini ivuleke. (Heberu 10:19, 20) Lokho kwakusho ukuthi uJohane wayengeke aqhubeke ephila kuze kube ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E., lapho kuqala ukugcotshwa kwabafundi bakaJesu ngomoya. Ngakho-ke, amazwi kaJesu kuMathewu 11:11 nawo angathathwa njengabonisa ukuthi wayazi ukuthi uJohane wayengeke aye ezulwini.