NGEMVA kweminyaka emithathu nengxenye eshumayela futhi efundisa, uJesu wayazi ukuthi isikhathi sakhe esemhlabeni sisondela ekupheleni. Abaholi benkolo abangamaJuda babemakhela uzungu lokumbulala, kodwa babesaba ukuthi abantu bazobanga isiyaluyalu ngoba babembheka njengomprofethi. Ngaleso sikhathi, uSathane wenza ukuba omunye wabaphostoli bakaJesu abangu-12—uJuda Iskariyothe—abe imbuka. Abaholi benkolo bamkhokhela izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingu-30 ukuze akhaphele uJesu.

Ngobusuku bakhe bokugcina, uJesu wahlangana nabaphostoli bakhe ukuze bagubhe iPhasika. Ngemva kokuxosha uJuda, uJesu wamisa umkhosi omusha, iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa. Wathatha isinkwa, wathandaza, wayesesinikeza abaphostoli abangu-11 ababesele, wathi kubo: “Lokhu kusho umzimba wami ozonikelwa ngenxa yenu. Qhubekani nikwenza lokhu ningikhumbula.” Wenza okufanayo nangendebe yewayini, ethi: “Le ndebe isho isivumelwano esisha esenziwa ngegazi lami.”—Luka 22:19, 20.

Kuningi uJesu akutshela abafundi bakhe ngalobo busuku. Wabanika umyalo omusha—wokuba babonisane uthando olungenabugovu. Wathi: “Bonke bayokwazi ngalokho ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Johane 13:34, 35) Wabanxusa ukuba bangavumeli izinhliziyo zabo zikhathazwe izenzakalo ezishaqisayo ezase zizokwenzeka. UJesu wabathandazela ngobuqotho. Bahlabelela izingoma ndawonye base bephumela ngaphandle.

Ensimini yaseGetsemane, uJesu waguqa wathandaza ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Ngokushesha, kwafika iviyo lamasosha, abapristi nabanye bezombopha. UJuda wasondela, walibonisa uJesu ngokumanga. Njengoba amasosha ebamba uJesu, abaphostoli babaleka.

Emi phambi kwenkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda, uJesu wathi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Inkantolo yambeka icala lokuhlambalaza futhi yathi ufanelwe ukufa. UJesu wayiswa kuMbusi ongumRoma uPontiyu Pilatu. Nakuba uPilatu athola uJesu engenacala, wamnikela esixukwini esasifuna ukumbulala.

UJesu wayiswa eGolgotha, lapho amasosha angamaRoma afike ambethelela khona esigxotsheni. Kwenzeka isimangaliso, ukukhanya kwasemini kwaphenduka ubumnyama. Kamuva ngalolo suku, uJesu wafa futhi kwaba khona ukuzamazama okukhulu komhlaba. Umzimba wakhe wangcwatshwa ethuneni elaliqoshwe edwaleni. Ngosuku olulandelayo, abapristi balivala ithuna base bebeka unogada emnyango walo. Ingabe uJesu wayezohlala kulelo thuna? Cha. Kwase kuzokwenzeka isimanga sezimanga.

—Isekelwe kuMathewu izahluko 26 no-27; Marku izahluko 14 no-15; Luka izahluko 22 no-23; Johane izahluko 12 kuya ku-19.