Ngemva kokwethula iTjumayelwakhe yeNtabeni, uJesu uya edorobheni leKapernawumi. Nakalapho, abanye abadala bamaJuda beza kuye. Bathunywe yindoda engasimJuda—umphathi wamabutho wamaRoma, ophethe amasotja alikhulu.

Isisebenzi somphathi wamabutho asithanda khulu sigulela ukufa. Nanyana umphathi lo angasimJuda, ufuna ukusizwa nguJesu. AmaJuda atjela uJesu ukuthi isisebenzi sendoda le “silele ngendlini sigula khulu asikghoni nokusikinyeka.” (Matewu 8:6) Abadala bamaJuda baqinisekisa uJesu ukuthi umphathi lo uyakufanelekela ukusizwa, bathi: “Uyasithanda isitjhaba sekhethu begodu nguye owasakhela isinagogo.”—Lukasi 7:4, 5.

Msinyana, uJesu ukhamba nabadala baya emzini womphathi wamabutho. Nasele baseduze, umphathi uthumela abangani bakhe bona bathi: “Mnumzana, ungazitshwenyi, ngombana angifaneleki bona ungangena ngendlinami. Kungebangelo ngingakhenge ngizibone ngifaneleka ukuza kuwe.” (Lukasi 7:6, 7) Lokhu kuzithoba kwamambala okwenziwa mumuntu ojayele ukubeka imithetho! Kutjengisa nokuthi indoda le ihlukile kumaRoma aphatha iingqila kumbi.—Matewu 8:9.

Umphathi lo, uyalemuka ukuthi amaJuda awazihlanganisi nabantu abangasimaJuda. (IzEnzo 10:28) Mhlamunye akhumbula lokhu, umphathi utjela abangani bakhe bona barabhele uJesu bathi: “Khupha ilizwi, ulaphe isisebenzi sami.”—Lukasi 7:7.

UJesu urareka khulu nakezwa amezwi la, uthi: “Ngiyanitjela, ngitjho nakwa-Israyeli akhenge ngifumane ukukholwa okukhulu kangaka.” (Lukasi 7:9) Abangani bomphathi nababuyela emzinakhe, bafumana isisebenzi ebesigulesa sipholile.

Ngemva kokuthi uJesu alaphe isisebenzi, usebenzisa isenzakalwesi ukuqinisekisa ukuthi abantu abangasimaJuda abakholwako bazokutjengiswa umusa ngokuthola iimbusiso, uthi: “Abanengi abavela epumalanga netjhingalanga bazokuhlala etafuleni no-Abrahama, u-Isaka noJakopo emBusweni wezulu.” Kuthiwani-ke ngamaJuda angakholwako? UJesu uthi ‘azokulahlelwa ngaphandle ebumnyameni. Lapho kuzokuba nokulila nokuqinisa kwawo amazinyo.’—Matewu 8:11, 12.

AmaJuda wemvelo angamukeli ithuba anikelwe lona qangi lokubusa emBusweni noKrestu, azokulahlwa. Kodwana labo abangasimaJuda, bazokwamukelwa bona bahlale etafulenakhe “emBusweni wezulu.”