Sekudlule iminyaka eli-17 solo uJesu obekaneminyaka eli-12, abuza abefundisi imibuzo ethempelini. Nje sekuyitwasahlobo yomnyaka ka-29. Abantu abanengi bakhuluma ngesihlobo sakaJesu uJwanisi, otjhumayela kiso soke isifunda esingetjhingalanga yoMlambo iJordani.

Nawukhe wabona uJwanisi ngekhe wamkhohlwa, ngebanga lendlela aqaleka ngayo nomlayezwakhe. Umbatha izambatho zoboya bekamela, abophe nebhande ledinini. Udla iintethe neliju. Uthini umlayezwakhe? Uthi: “Tjhugulukani ngombana umBuso wezulu ubandamele.”—Matewu 3:2.

Umlayezo kaJwanisi uyabathabisa labo abeze ukuzomlalela. Abanengi bayalemuka bona kutlhogeka batjhuguluke, okutjho ukuthi, kufuze batjhugulule ukucabanga kwabo neendlela zabo, banine indlela ebebaphila ngayo phambilini, bayiqale njengenyenyisako. Labo abeza kuye bavela ‘eJerusalema neJudiya yoke nakiso soke isifunda esibhode iJordani.’ (Matewu 3:5) Abanengi abeze kuJwanisi, bayatjhuguluka. Uyababhabhadisa, ngokubacwilisa emanzini weJordani. Kubayini?

Ukubabhabhadisa kwakaJwanisi kulitshwayo, namkha kutjengisa ukuvuma kwabo ukuthi batjhuguluka ngokusuka ehliziyweni ezonweni abazenze kuZimu, ngokwalokho okutlolwe emThethwenakhe wesivumelwano. (IzEnzo 19:4) Nanyana kunjalo, akusibo boke abavunyelwako bona babhajadiswe. Lokha nakufika abanye abadosiphambili bezekolo, abaFarisi nabaSadusi, uJwanisi ubabiza ngokuthi “bantwana beenyoka.” Uthi: “Thelani iinthelo ezitjengisa ukutjhuguluka. Ningazitjeli ukuthi, ‘Sinobaba u-Abrahama.’ Ngombana ngithi kini uZimu angavezela u-Abrahama abantwana ematjeni la. Izembe selisemirajini yemithi. Ngalokho-ke, yoke imithi engatheli iinthelo ezihle izokuquntwa iphoselwe emlilweni.”—Matewu 3:7-10.

Njengombana uJwanisi sekathoma ukuduma, anomlayezo onamandla begodu abhabhadisa abantu abanengi, kuthunywa abaphristi namaLevi bona bayombuza ukuthi: “Ungubani?”

UJwanisi utjho ngokunqophileko uthi: “AngisinguKrestu.”

Nje-ke bathi kuye: “Alo-ke ungubani? Ungu-Eliya?”

Ubaphendula athi: “Angisinguye.”

Bathi kuye: “UMphorofidi na?” Ngalokho bebatjho uMphorofidi omkhulu uMosi athi uzokuza.—Duteronomi 18:15, 18.

UJwanisi uphendula uthi: “Awa!”

Bayaphikelela ngokubuza: “Ungubani-ke? Sitjela bona sizokubuyisela ipendulo kwabasithumileko. Uthini ngawe?” UJwanisi uthi: “Ngililizwi lomuntu orhuwelela emmangweni lithi, ‘Yenzani indlela kaJehova inqophe,’ njengombana kwatjho umphorofidi u-Isaya.”—Jwanisi 1:19-23.

Kodwana basafuna ukwazi, nje-ke bathi: “Alo-ke ubhabhadiselani nangabe awusinguKrestu namkha u-Eliya namkha uMphorofidi?” Ipendulwakhe ezwakalako ithi: “Mina ngibhabhadisa ngamanzi. Ukhona ojame hlangana nani eningamaziko, loyo oza emva kwami.”—Jwanisi 1:25-27.

Iye, uJwanisi uyavuma ukuthi ulungisa indlela, ngokuthi asize abantu babe sebujamweni behliziyo obufaneleko khona bazokukghona ukwamukela uMesiya obikezelweko, loyo ozokuba yiKosi. Malungana noMesiya, uJwanisi uthi: “Oza ngemva kwami unamandla kunami, loyo engingafaneleki nokumhlubulisa amapatlagwana.” (Matewu 3:11) Eqinisweni, uJwanisi uyanaba uthi: “Loyo oza emva kwami sekamkhulu kunami, ngombana bekakhona mina ngingakabi khona.”—Jwanisi 1:15.

Ngalokho-ke, uJwanisi uyiphethe ngesibhukwini nakathi, “Tjhugulukani ngombana umBuso wezulu ubandamele.” (Matewu 3:2) Umlayezo lo, usimemezelo satjhatjhalazi sokuthi umsebenzi weKosi ezako ebekwe nguJehova, uJesu Krestu, sewuzokuthoma.