Kungabe sekulomnyaka uJohane uMbhabhathizi esejele. Kodwa ulokhu esizwa ukuthi uJesu wenza izimangaliso. Ubona angani uJohane uzwa njani abafundi bakhe bemtshela ukuthi uJesu uvuse indodana yomfelokazi eNayini? Kumele ukuthi uyathokoza kakhulu. Lanxa kunjalo, ufuna ukuzizwela uJesu esitsho ukuthi nguye uMesiya. Yikho ubiza abafundi bakhe ababili abesebathuma ukuthi babuze uJesu bathi: “UNguye Ozayo yini, kumbe kufanele silindele omunye?”​—ULukha 7:19.

Umbuzo obuzwa nguJohane ungakhanya umangalisa sibili. UJohane yindoda ezinikeleyo kuNkulunkulu eyathi ibhabhathiza uJesu eminyakeni engaba mibili eyadlulayo yabona umoya kaNkulunkulu usehlela phezu kukaJesu njalo yezwa uNkulunkulu esithi uyamamukela. Akumelanga sicabange ukuthi ukholo lukaJohane luyancipha ngoba uJesu ubengeke akhulume kuhle ngaye njengalokhu asazokwenza. Pho uJohane uwubuzelani umbuzo lo nxa kuyikuthi kathandabuzi?

Mhlawumbe ufuna ukuzwa uJesu ezikhulumela ukuthi nguye uMesiya. Lokhu kuzamqinisa uJohane njengoba ehlupheka ejele. Kulokunye okungabe kwenze ukuthi uJohane abuze umbuzo lo. Uyazazi iziphrofetho zeBhayibhili ezitshengisa ukuthi oGcotshiweyo kaNkulunkulu uzakuba yinkosi lomkhululi. Kodwa usejele okwezinyanga ezinengi ngemva kokubhabhathizwa kukaJesu. Yikho ufuna ukwazi ukuthi ukhona yini ozalandela uJesu futhi ozagcwalisa zonke iziphrofetho ezimayelana loMesiya.

UJesu kaphongutshela abafundi bakaJohane athi, ‘Ye yimi sibili okwakuthiwe ngizakuza,’ kodwa unika ubufakazi bokuthi uNkulunkulu ulaye ngesikhathi esilisa abantu abanengi abalezifo lemikhuhlane etshiyeneyo. Ngemva kwalokho utshela abafundi athi: “Hambani liyetshela uJohane lokho elikubonayo lelikuzwayo: Iziphofu sezibona, izigoga sezihamba, abalobulephero bayahlanjululwa, izacuthe sezisizwa, abafileyo bayavuswa, futhi abayanga batshelwa izindaba ezinhle.”​—UMathewu 11:4, 5.

Umbuzo kaJohane ungabe utshengisa ukuthi ulindele ukuthi uJesu enze okwedlula lokho akwenzayo, mhlawumbe amkhulule lasejele. Kodwa amazwi kaJesu atshengisa ukuthi akumelanga uJohane akhangelele ukuthi uJesu uzakwenza izimangaliso ezedlula lezo azenzayo khathesi.

Abafundi bakaJohane bathi sebesuka uJesu atshele ixuku labantu ukuthi uJohane kasimphrofethi kuphela kodwa “uyisigijimi” sikaJehova okwaphrofethwa ngaso kuMalaki 3:1. Kanti njalo ungumphrofethi u-Elija okwakhulunywa ngaye kuMalaki 4:5, 6. UJesu uthi: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, kwabazelwe ngabesifazana, akukaveli loyedwa omkhulu kuloJohane uMbhabhathizi, kodwa omncane eMbusweni wamazulu mkhulu kulaye.”​—UMathewu 11:11.

Nxa uJesu esithi omncane eMbusweni wamazulu mkhulu kuloJohane, utshengisa ukuthi  uJohane uzabe engekho eMbusweni wezulu. UJohane walungisela uJesu indlela kodwa ubulawa uKhristu engakavuli indlela yokuya ezulwini. (KumaHebheru 10:19, 20) Lanxa kunjalo, ungumphrofethi kaNkulunkulu othembekileyo njalo uzaphila emhlabeni uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usubusa.