UJesu labafundi bakhe bayasuka eJerusalema ngemva kwePhasika ngentwasa ka-30 C.E. Kodwa kabayi emakhaya abo eGalile. Baqonda emangweni waseJudiya lapho abafika babhabhathize khona abantu abanengi. UJohane uMbhabhathizi laye ubebhabhathiza abantu okwesikhathi esingaba ngumnyaka, mhlawumbe esigodini soMfula uJodani. Abanye abafundi bakhe balokhu belaye.

UJesu kabhabhathizi muntu. Umsebenzi wokubhabhathiza uwunika abafundi bakhe. Ngesikhathi lesi, yena loJohane bafundisa amaJuda njalo ayabhabhathizwa ngemva kokuphenduka ezonweni zawo zokwephula isivumelwano soMthetho sikaNkulunkulu.​—ImiSebenzi 19:4.

Kodwa abafundi bakaJohane baba lomhawu ngalokhu, besebesola uJesu batshele uJohane bathi: ‘Rabi, indoda leya [uJesu] owawulayo isibhabhathiza, njalo abantu bonke baya kuyo.’ (UJohane 3:26) UJohane yena kalamhawu. Kuyamthokozisa ukuthi uJesu uyaphumelela futhi ufuna abafundi bakhe labo bathokoze. Uyabakhumbuza athi: “Lani liyangifakazela ukuthi ngathi, ‘Kangisuye uKhristu kodwa ngathunywa ukuthi ngibuye kuqala kulaye.’” Uphinda atsho umzekeliso ozakwenza bonke bazwisise esithi: “Lowo olomlobokazi nguye umyeni. Kodwa nxa umngane womyeni emi eduze komyeni emuzwa ekhuluma, uyathokoza kakhulu ngenxa yelizwi lakhe. Ngakho injabulo yami isiphelele.”​—UJohane 3:28, 29.

Ezinyangeni ezidlulileyo, uJohane laye wathokoza njengomngane womyeni ngesikhathi esethula abafundi bakhe kuJesu. Abanye babo balandela uJesu njalo ngokuya kwesikhathi babezagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele. Okunye uJohane akufunayo yikuthi abafundi bakhe alabo khathesi balandele uJesu. Uhlose ukulungisa indlela yenkonzo kaKhristu. Uthi: “Yena kumele aqhubeke esiba mkhulu kodwa mina kumele ngiqhubeke ngincipha.”​—UJohane 3:30.

Omunye uJohane ongumlandeli kaJesu ubhala ngokuthi uJesu wavela ngaphi langomsebenzi alawo wokusindisa abantu, uthi: ‘Ovela phezulu uphezu kwabanye bonke. UBaba uyayithanda iNdodana njalo usebeke izinto zonke esandleni sayo. Otshengisa ukuthi ulokholo eNdodaneni ulokuphila okungapheliyo, kodwa ongayilaleliyo iNdodana kasoze akubone ukuphila futhi ulaka lukaNkulunkulu luqhubeka luphezu kwakhe.’ (UJohane 3:31, 35, 36) Le yindaba eqakathekileyo okumele abantu bayazi.

UJohane uMbhabhathizi uyabotshwa yiNkosi uHerodi kungakedluli isikhathi eside ekhulume ngokuthi umsebenzi alawo uzancipha. UHerodi utshade loHerodiya umkamfowabo uFiliphu. UHerodi ubopha uJohane ngenxa yokuthi uveze ukuphinga kwakhe ebantwini. UJesu uthi esezwe ngokubotshwa kukaJohane uyasuka eJudiya labafundi bakhe baye eGalile.​—UMathewu 4:12; UMakho 1:14.