Ngesikhathi aseJerusalema ayokugidinga iPhasika langomnyaka ka-30, uJesu wenza iimangaliso. Ngebanga lalokho, abantu abanengi bayamkholwa. UNikhodemusi, umFarisi olilunga lekhotho ephakemeko yamaJuda ekuthiwa yiSanhedrini, uyakubona lokho uJesu akwenzako begodu ukareka kwamambala. Ufuna ukuyizwa kuhle indaba le, nje-ke uvakatjhela uJesu ebusuku, mhlamunye ngombana unevadlwana lokuthi abanye abarholi bamaJuda bazomnyaza nabangambona.

UNikhodemusi uthi, “Rabi, siyazi ukuthi umfundisi ovela kuZimu, ngombana akunamuntu ongenza iimbonakaliso ozenzakwezi ngaphandle kokuthi uZimu anaye.” UJesu utjela uNikhodemusi ukuthi umuntu angekhe angene emBusweni kaZimu, ngaphandle kokuthi “abelethwe kabutjha.”—Jwanisi 3:2, 3.

Kodwana umuntu angabelethwa njani kabutjha? Ngilokho uNikhodemusi akubuzako nakathi, “Angithi angekhe angena ngesibelethweni sakanina abelethwe godu?”—Jwanisi 3:4.

Awa, ukubelethwa kabutjha akutjho lokho. UJesu uyahlathulula: “Ngaphandle kokuthi umuntu abelethwe ngamanzi nangommoya, angekhe angene emBusweni kaZimu.” (Jwanisi 3:5) UJesu wabelethwa “ngamanzi nangommoya,” ngesikhathi abhajadiswa begodu ummoya ocwengileko wehlela kuye. Ngesikhatheso kwezwakala nesimemezelo sivela ezulwini sithi: “Le yiNdodanami, engiyithandako, engiyamukeleko.” (Matewu 3:16, 17) Ngokunjalo uZimu wamemezela ukuthi uJesu sekayindodanakhe ezeswe ngommoya ocwengileko, enethemba lokungena emBusweni wezulwini. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngePentekoste langomnyaka ka-33, ummoya ocwengileko uzokuthululelwa kwabanye ababhajadisiweko, nabo-ke bazokubelethwa kabutjha babe madodana kaZimu azeswe ngommoya.—IzEnzo 2:1-4.

UNikhodemusi akakuzwisisi lokho uJesu amfundisa khona ngomBuso. Nje-ke, uJesu unikela ihlathululo enabileko malungana nesabelo sakhe esikhethekileko njengombana ayiNdodana kaZimu emumuntu wenyama. UJesu uthi: “Njengombana uMosi aphakamisa inyoka emmangweni, neNdodana yomuntu kufuze iphakanyiswe, bona woke umuntu okholwa kiyo abe nokuphila okungapheliko.”—Jwanisi 3:14, 15.

Ekadeni ama-Israyeli alunywa ziinyoka ezinetjhefu kwatlhogeka aqale inyoka yekoporo ukuze asindiswe. (Numeri 21:9) Ngokufanako, boke abantu kufuze bakholwe eNdodaneni kaZimu ukuze basindiswe esonweni nokufa begodu bafumane ukuphila okungapheliko. Aveza ubukhulu bethando lakaJehova endabeni le, uJesu uthi kuNikhodemusi: “UZimu walithanda khulu iphasi kangangobana wanikela ngeNdodanakhe ebelethwe yodwa, bonyana woke umuntu otjengisa ukukholwa kiyo angabhujiswa kodwana abe nokuphila okungapheliko.” (Jwanisi 3:16) Ngokutjho lokhu uJesu ukwenza kukhanye bha ukuthi uyindlela abantu abazokusindiswa ngayo. Lokhu kwenzeka khonapha eJerusalema ngemva kweenyanga ezingaba sithandathu athome umsebenzakhe.

Godu uJesu uthi kuNikhodemusi: “UZimu azange athumele iNdodanakhe ephasini bona izokwahlulela iphasi.” Lokhu kutjho ukuthi azange athunyelwe bona azokukhupha isahlulelo sokuthi iphasi limlandu, ahlulele boke abantu ukuthi bayokutjhatjalaliswa. Kunalokho, uJesu uthi wathunyelwa ‘bona iphasi lisindiswe ngaye.’—Jwanisi 3:17.

UNikhodemusi uze kuJesu ngobumnyama ngebanga lokusaba. Yeke ngokuhlakanipha  uJesu usonga ikulumiswano yabo ngokuthi: “Nje-ke nasi isisekelo sesahlulelo: kukuthi ukukhanya [uJesu ukukhanya ngepilwakhe neemfundiso zakhe] kuzile ephasini, kodwana abantu bathande ubumnyama kunokukhanya, ngombana imisebenzi yabo beyimimbi. Ngombana loyo owenza izinto ezonakeleko uyakuzonda ukukhanya begodu akezi ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzakhe ingazokuvezwa. Kodwana loyo owenza okuliqiniso uyeza ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzakhe ibonakaliswe ukuthi yenziwe ngokuvumelana noZimu.”—Jwanisi 3:19-21.

Nje-ke, sekusezandleni zakaNikhodemusi, omFarisi nomfundisi kwa-Israyeli, bona acabangisise ngalokho asand’ ukukuzwa okumalungana nendima kaJesu emnqophweni kaZimu.