UJesu uyasuka eJeriko, aye eBhethaniya. Uzohamba amakhilomitha angu-20, endaweni ekhuphukelayo nokunzima ukuhamba kuyo. ULazaru nodadewabo ababili, bahlala endaweni yaseBhethaniya engamakhilomitha amathathu ukusuka eJerusalema, esendaweni eyehlelayo engasempumalanga yeNtaba Yeminqumo.

AmaJuda amaningi aze ePhasikeni asefikile eJerusalema. Afike kusenesikhathi ukuze ‘azihlanze ngokwesiko’ uma kungenzeka athinte isidumbu noma enze okuthile okuwenza angahlanzeki. (Johane 11:55; Numeri 9:6-10) Amanye ala maJuda afike kusenesikhathi abuthanela ethempelini. Ayazibuza ukuthi uJesu uzoza yini ePhasikeni.—Johane 11:56.

Kunempikiswano enkulu emayelana noJesu. Abanye abaholi benkolo bafuna ukumbamba ukuze bambulale. Empeleni, bakhiphe umyalo wokuthi noma ubani ozwayo ukuthi uJesu ungakuphi, kufanele abikele bona “ukuze bambambe.” (Johane 11:57) La baholi sebeke bazama ukubulala uJesu ngemva kokuba evuse uLazaru. (Johane 11:49-53) Kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani abanye bengabaza ukuthi uJesu uzovela yini emphakathini.

UJesu ufika eBhethaniya ngoLwesihlanu, kusasele ‘izinsuku eziyisithupha ngaphambi kwePhasika.’ (Johane 12:1) Usuku olusha (lweSabatha, ngoNisani 8) luqala ngemva kokushona kwelanga. Ngakho, uhambo lwakhe luphele ngaphambi kweSabatha. Wayengeke akwazi ukusuka eJeriko ngeSabatha—ngoLwesihlanu ngemva kokushona kwelanga kuze kube ngoMgqibelo ngemva kokushona kwelanga—ngoba uhambo olunjalo aluvumelekile ngokomthetho wamaJuda. Cishe uJesu uya kubo kaLazaru, njengoba ayenzile esikhathini esedlule.

USimoni, naye ohlala eBhethaniya, umema uJesu nahamba nabo, okuhlanganise noLazaru, ukuba bazodla ngoMgqibelo ntambama. USimoni wayebizwa ngokuthi “onochoko,” mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi wayenochoko olwalashwa uJesu ngesinye isikhathi. UMarta unakekela izivakashi njengoba ekhuthele. UMariya umnaka kakhulu uJesu kulokhu, kangangokuba kuze kube nokungaboni ngaso linye.

UMariya uvula ibhodlela le-alabhaste elimumethe “iphawundi lamafutha anamakha . . . inadi loqobo.” (Johane 12:3) La mafutha ayigugu kakhulu, angabiza odenariyu abangu-300, abalingana nomholo wonyaka! UMariya uwathela ekhanda nasezinyaweni zikaJesu la mafutha, bese emesula izinyawo ngezinwele zakhe. Iphunga elimnandi ligcwala indlu yonke.

Abafundi bayathukuthela bese bethi: “Kungani la mafutha anamakha esaphazwa?” (Marku 14:4) UJuda Iskariyote engavumelani nalokhu uthi: “Kungani la mafutha anamakha engadayiswanga  ngodenariyu abangu-300, baphiwa abahluphekayo?” (Johane 12:5) Empeleni uJuda akanendaba nabantu abahluphekayo. Ubelokhu entshontsha emabhokisini emali ayigcinele abafundi.

UJesu uyamvikela uMayira, athi: “Kungani nimkhathaza lona wesifazane? Wenze into enhle kimi. Abahluphekayo nihlale ninabo, kodwa ngeke nibe nami ngaso sonke isikhathi. Lapho ethela la mafutha anamakha emzimbeni wami, ukwenze ukuze angilungiselele ukungcwatshwa. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, nomaphi lapho lezi zindaba ezinhle zishunyayelwa khona emhlabeni wonke, lokhu akwenzile lona wesifazane nakho kuyokhulunywa ngakho ukuze akhunjulwe.”—Mathewu 26:10-13.

Sekuphele usuku uJesu eseBhethaniya futhi indaba yokuthi ukhona, isisakazeke yonke indawo. AmaJuda amaningi awazelanga ukuzobona uJesu kuphela emzini kaSimoni, kodwa nokuzobona uLazaru, “[uJesu] ayemvuse kwabafile.” (Johane 12:9) Abapristi abakhulu bafuna ukubulala bobabili uJesu noLazaru. Laba baholi benkolo, babona ukuvuswa kukaLazaru kuyisizathu esenza abantu abaningi babe nokholo kuJesu. Baze bonakala la baholi benkolo!