Wayengubani UJohane UMbhapathizi?
Impendulo yeBhayibheli
UJohane uMbhapathizi wayengumprofethi kaNkulunkulu. (Luka 1:76) Wazalwa ngaphambi nje kokuzalwa kukaJesu futhi waphila ekhulwini lokuqala C.E. UNkulunkulu wamnika isabelo sokulungiselela ukuza kukaMesiya noma uKristu. UJohane wakwenza lokhu ngokushumayela umyalezo kaNkulunkulu kumaJuda akubo ukuze aphendukele kuNkulunkulu.—Marku 1:1-4; Luka 1:13, 16, 17.
Umyalezo kaJohane wawuzosiza ababelalele ngobuqotho ukuba babone ukuthi uJesu waseNazaretha wayenguMesiya othenjisiwe. (Mathewu 11:10) UJohane wanxusa bonke ababemlalele ukuba baphenduke ezonweni zabo futhi babhapathizwe njengophawu lokuphenduka. (Luka 3:3-6) Ngenxa yokuthi wabhapathiza abantu abaningi, uJohane ubizwa ngokuthi uMbhapathizi. Ubhapathizo olubaluleke kakhulu uJohane ake walwenza olukaJesu.a—Marku 1:9.
Kulesi sihloko
Wayehluke ngani uJohane uMbhapathizi?
Umsebenzi ayezowenza wawubikezelwe: Ngomsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela, uJohane wagcwalisa isiprofetho mayelana nesithunywa sikaJehova. (Malaki 3:1; Mathewu 3:1-3) Wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi nguye ‘owayezokwenza abantu babe isizwe esikulungele ukukhonza uJehova’—ngokuthi asize amaJuda akubo alungele ukwamukela umyalezo woMmeleli oyinhloko kaJehova uNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu.—Luka 1:17.
Ifa: UJesu wathi “akuzange kuvele omkhulu kunoJohane uMbhapathizi kodwa omncane kunabanye eMbusweni wamazulu mkhulu kunaye.” (Mathewu 11:11) UJohane wayengesiye umprofethi kuphela kodwa futhi ‘wayeyisithunywa’ esasibikezelwe, asikho isikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu esaphila ngaphambi kwakhe okwakungathiwa sikhulu kunaye. Amazwi kaJesu aphinde abonise ukuthi uJohane angeke aphile ezulwini njengenkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.b Lo mprofethi othembikile wafa ngaphambi kokuba uJesu avule indlela yokuyophila ezulwini. (Hebheru 10:19, 20) Nokho, uJohane uyoba phakathi kwalabo abayophila emhlabeni ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu, enethuba lokuphila phakade ePharadesi.—IHubo 37:29; Luka 23:43.
Babengobani abazali bakaJohane uMbhapathizi?
Abazali bakaJohane kwakunguZakariya nomkakhe u-Elizabethe. UZakariya wayengumpristi ongumJuda. Ukuzalwa kukaJohane kwakuyisimangaliso ngoba umama wakhe wayeyinyumba noma wayengabatholi abantwana. Kanti futhi yena noZakariya “base bekhulile impela.”—Luka 1:5-7, 13.
Ubani owaba imbangela yokufa kukaJohane uMbhapathizi?
INkosi uHerode Antipase wayala ukuba kunqunywe ikhanda likaJohane. Wakwenza lokhu egqugquzelwa umkakhe uHerodiya, esebenzisa indodakazi yakhe. Wayemzonda uJohane ngoba wayetshele uHerode, owayengumJuda ukuthi umshado wakhe noHerodiya wawephula umthetho wamaJuda.—Mathewu 14:1-12; Marku 6:16-19
Ingabe uJohane uMbhapathizi noJesu babeyizimbangi?
Akukho lutho eBhayibhelini okusekela lo mbono. (Johane 3:25-30) Eqinisweni, uJohane wavuma obala ukuthi kwakungumthwalo wakhe ukuba alungiselele uMesiya indlela, hhayi ukuqhudelana naye. UJohane wathi : ‘Mina ngibhapathiza ngamanzi . . . ukuze abonakaliswe ku-Israyeli.’ Wabe esenezela wathi: “Lo uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.” (Johane 1:26-34) Ngakho uJohane wajabula kakhulu ukuzwa ngenkonzo kaJesu ephumelelayo.
a UJesu “akenzanga sono.” (1 Petru 2:21, 22) Ngakho ukubhapathizwa kwakhe kwakungasho ukuthi kufanele aphenduke kunalokho kwakubonisa ukuthi wayezokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Lokho kwakuhlanganisa nokuba uJesu anikele ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yethu.—Hebheru 10:7-10.
b Bheka isihloko esithi “Obani Abaya Ezulwini?”