UJesu uthi esebotshiwe sasigebenga ahanjiswe ku-Anasi owayengumphristi omkhulu ngesikhathi uJesu exoxa labafundisi ethempelini esesemncane. (ULukha 2:42, 47) Ngemva kwesikhathi amanye amadodana ka-Anasi aba ngabaphristi abakhulu futhi khathesi umkhwenyana wakhe uKhayifasi nguye olesikhundla lesi.

UKhayifasi ubuthanisa iSanihedrini ngesikhathi uJesu esemzini ka-Anasi. Umphristi omkhulu labanye abake benza umsebenzi lo labo bangamalunga omthethwandaba lo obunjwa ngamalunga angu-71.

U-Anasi ubuza uJesu “ngabafundi bakhe langemfundiso yakhe.” UJesu umphendula esithi: “Ngikhulume lomhlaba egcekeni. Bengihlala ngifundisa esinagogeni lasethempelini, lapho wonke amaJuda abuthana khona. Kangitshongo lutho ensitha. Manje kungani ubuza mina? Buza labo abazwileyo engibatshele khona.”​—UJohane 18:19-21.

Omunye wabalindi omi khonapho utshaya uJesu ngempama ebusweni abesemsola esithi: “Ungaphendula njalo umphristi okhokhelayo?” Kodwa uJesu uyakwazi ukuthi kaphambanisanga lutho yikho umphendula athi: “Nxa engikukhulumileyo kungaqondanga, fakaza ukuthi ngiphambaniseni, kodwa nxa kuqondile, ungitshayelani?” (UJohane 18:22, 23) Ngemva kwalokho u-Anasi uthi uJesu ahanjiswe kumkhwenyana wakhe uKhayifasi.

 Khathesi iSanihedrini yonke isithelekile emzini kaKhayifasi. Kulomphristi omkhulu, labadala besizwe kanye lababhali. Kulicala ukuthi umuntu athonisiswe ngobusuku bePhasika. Lanxa kunjalo, abantu laba bazimisele ukuqhubeka ngento embi abayihlosileyo.

Abanengi abaseqenjini leli sebehle bamahlulela uJesu. Phela wathi esevuse uLazaro iSanihedrini yavumelana ukuthi kumele afe. (UJohane 11:47-53) Kanti njalo emalangeni asanda ukwedlula, abakhokheli benkolo babumbe icebo lokumbamba bambulale. (UMathewu 26:3, 4) UJesu kakathonisiswa kodwa sekuhle kwathiwa kumele afe.

Abaphristi abakhokhelayo lamanye amalunga eSanihedrini bathi sebehlangene ngokungekho emthethweni baphinde badinge ofakazi abazafakaza amanga ukuze uJesu athonisiswe. Banengi ababizwayo ukuthi bafakaze, kodwa ubufakazi babo kabuvumelani. Kucina kusukuma ofakazi ababili abathi: “Samuzwa esithi, ‘Ngizadiliza ithempeli leli elenziwa ngezandla, besekusithi emalangeni amathathu ngibe sengakhe elinye elingenziwanga ngezandla.’” (UMakho 14:58) Kodwa ubufakazi bamadoda la labo kabuvumelani.

UKhayifasi ubuza uJesu athi: “Kanti kawuphenduli? Uthini ngalokho amadoda la akumangalela ngakho?” (UMakho 14:60) UJesu uqhubeka ezithulele esizwa ukumangalelwa lokhu okwenziwa ngofakazi bamanga abangavumelaniyo. Yikho uMphristi Omkhulu uKhayifasi usezama elinye iqhinga.

UKhayifasi uyakwazi ukuthi umuntu othi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu uyabe esewahlokozile amaJuda. UJesu wake wathi uNkulunkulu nguYise, wona asezama ukumbulala esithi ‘uzenza olingana loNkulunkulu.’ (UJohane 5:17, 18; 10:31-39) UKhayifasi uyakwazi ukuthi kwake kwaba lendaba enjalo yikho wenza ubuqili abuze uJesu athi: “Ngithi kuwe funga ngoNkulunkulu ophilayo ukuthi uzakhuluma iqiniso, usitshele ukuthi unguye yini uKhristu iNdodana kaNkulunkulu!” (UMathewu 26:63) Nxa uJesu engayekela ukumphendula kuzakhanya angani usephika ukuthi unguKhristu lokuthi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu ngoba ubevele ekuveza ukuthi uyiNdodana yakhe. (UJohane 3:18; 5:25; 11:4) Ngakho uthi: “Nginguye; futhi lizabona iNdodana yomuntu ihlezi esandleni sokudla saLowo Olamandla, njalo isiza ngamayezi ezulu.”​—UMakho 14:62.

UKhayifasi uthi esizwa lokhu adabule izembatho zakhe athi: “Usethuke uNkulunkulu! Sisabafunelani abanye ofakazi? Liyabona! Selizizwele-ke ethuka. Lina lithini ngakho?” ISanihedrini imahlulela kubi uJesu, ithi: “Kumele afe.”​—UMathewu 26:65, 66.

Ngemva kwalokhu bayamchothoza uJesu, bamtshaye ngenqindi. Abanye bayammakala ngamampama bamkhafulele ebusweni. Bayamvala ubuso bamtshaye ngamampama besebemphoxa besithi: “Phrofetha phela! Ngubani okutshayileyo?” (ULukha 22:64) Bayayihlukuluza iNdodana kaNkulunkulu phezu kokuyithonisisa ebusuku ngokungekho emthethweni.