UPilatu utjele isiqubuthu esifuna uJesu abulawe, wathi: “Ngimphenyisise . . . ngangafumana iinsekelo zemilandu enimbeka yona. Kuhlekuhle noHerode akhenge amfumane amlandu.” (Lukasi 23:14, 15) Nje, uPilatu ulinga enye indlela bona asindise uJesu, uthi ebantwini: “Ninesiko lokuthi kufuze nginitjhaphululele umuntu ngePhasika. Nifuna nginitjhaphululele iKosi yamaJuda na?”—Jwanisi 18:39.

UPilatu uyazi ngoBharabhasi, isibotjhwa esaziwa ngokuba lisela, ivukelambuso nombulali. Nje-ke, uPilatu uyababuza uthi: “Ngimuphi enifuna nginitjhaphululele yena, uBharabhasi namkha uJesu okuthiwa nguKrestu?” Bahlohlozelwe baphristi abakhulu, abantu bafuna kutjhatjhululwe uBharabhasi ingasi uJesu. UPilatu uyababuza godu uthi: “Ngimuphi kilaba ababili enifuna nginitjhaphululele yena?” Isiqubuthu siyarhuwelela sithi: ‘UBharabhasi’!—Matewu 27:17, 21.

Adane khulu, uPilatu uyababuza uthi: “Alo-ke, ngenzeni ngoJesu okuthiwa nguKrestu?” Abantu bayarhuwelela bathi: “Akabulawelwe esigodweni!” (Matewu 27:22) Abananhloni, bakatelela bona umuntu onganamlandu abulawe. Abetha irhobhe, uPilatu uyababuza uthi: “Kubayini? Ngibuphi ubumbi obenziwe mumuntu lo? Angikafumani litho kuye elimenza afanelwe kukufa; ngalokho ngizomjezisa bese ngimtjhaphulule.”—Lukasi 23:22.

Naphezu kwemizamo kaPilatu, isiqubuthu esizele ilaka sirhuwelela sithi: “Akabulawelwe esigodweni!” (Matewu 27:23) Abadosiphambili bezekolo baphehle inturhu ebantwini kangangokuthi abantu banukelwa ziingazi! Okubuhlungu kukuthi akusiziingazi zesilelesi namkha zombulali. Ziingazi zomuntu onganamlandu, iKosi abayamukele eJerusalema emalangeni amahlanu adlulileko. Nangabe abafundi bakaJesu bakhona eduze, bathulile begodu abafuni ukuziveza ebantwini.

UPilatu uyabona ukuthi imizamwakhe ayimusi ndawo. Umguruguru uyavuka, nje-ke uthatha amanzi uhlamba izandla zakhe phambi kwesiqubuthu. Uthi kiso: “Ngimsulwa eengazini zendoda le. Ziboneleni ukuthi niphuma njani.” Naso isenzwesi asibathambisi abantu. Kunalokho bathi: “Iingazi zakhe azibe phezu kwethu nabantwabethu.”—Matewu 27:24, 25.

Kunokuthi enze okulungileko, umbusi ufuna ukuthabisa abantu. Nje-ke, wenza lokho abakufunako, ubatjhaphululela uBharabhasi. Uyavuma bona uJesu ahlutjuliswe bekabethwe.

 Ngemva kokumbetha kabuhlungu, amasotja athatha uJesu amusa esigodlweni. Nabafika lapho isihlopha samabutho siyabuthana begodu siraga nokumtlhorisa. Amasotja aluka isihlohlo sameva amthwesa sona. Amembathisa isambatho esibomvu be, esifana nesembathwa babantu bebukhosini begodu amphathisa nomhlanga ngesandleni sakhe sangesidleni. Ayamtshima athi: “Bayede, wena Kosi yamaJuda!” (Matewu 27:28, 29) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ayamkhafulela begodu amwahla ebusweni. Ammuka umhlanga bese ambetha ehloko ngawo, lokho kwenza bona ameva ahlabako ‘wesihlohlo’ sakhe esimehlisa isithunzi angene ehlokwakhe.

Isithunzi nokuqina kwakaJesu kikho koke lokhu kuthinta uPilatu ihliziyo, kangangokuthi uyalinga godu ukuzikhipha endabeni le, uthi: “Qalani! Ngimkhuphela ngaphandle kini bona nazi ukuthi angifumani mlandu kuye.” Kghani kungenzeka bona uPilatu ucabanga ukuthi ngokukhipha uJesu okghubukileko nowophako, isiqubuthu sizokuthamba? Njengombana uJesu ajame phambi kwesiqubuthu esinganahliziyo, uPilatu uthi kiso: “Nang’ umuntu lo!”—Jwanisi 19:4, 5.

Nanyana abethiwe begodu alimele, uJesu usaziphatha ngehlonipho begodu unommoya ophasi, noPilatu uyakubona lokhu ngombana amezwi awatjho esiqubuthwini atjengisa ihlonipho ehlangene nezwela.