UJohane uMbhapathizi ubelokhu esejele kusukela esikhathini esithile ngemva kokuba uJesu eye ePhasikeni lika-30 C.E. UJohane ubefuna abafundi bakhe babe abalandeli bakaJesu, kodwa akubona bonke asebekwenzile lokho ngemva kwezinyanga uJohane eboshiwe.

Manje njengoba iPhasika lika-31 C.E. lisondela, abanye babafundi bakaJohane beza kuJesu bese beyambuza: “Kungani thina nabaFarisi sizila ukudla kodwa abafundi bakho bona bengakuzili ukudla?” (Mathewu 9:14) AbaFarisi bazila ukudla ukuze nje bagcine isiko elingokwenkolo. Kamuva, uJesu uze asebenzise umfanekiso lapho umFarisi ethandaza ethi: “O Nkulunkulu, ngiyakubonga ngokuthi angifani nabo bonke abanye abantu . . . Ngizila ukudla kabili ngesonto.” (Luka 18:11, 12) Kungenzeka ukuthi abafundi bakaJohane nabo bebelokhu bezila ukudla ukuze nje bagcine isiko. Noma, kungenzeka bebezila ukudla ukuze balilele ukuboshwa kukaJohane. Kungenzeka ababukele nabo bayazibuza ukuthi kungani abafundi bakaJesu bengakuzili ukudla, mhlawumbe ukuze babonise ukudabuka ngenxa yalokho okwenziwe kuJohane.

UJesu uyabaphendula, esebenzisa lesi sibonelo: “Abangane bomkhwenyana abanaso isizathu sokulila uma nje umkhwenyana esenabo, akunjalo? Kodwa kuyofika izinsuku lapho umkhwenyana eyosuswa kubo, khona-ke bayokuzila ukudla.”—Mathewu 9:15.

UJohane uqobo wake wabhekisela kuJesu ngokuthi umkhwenyana. (Johane 3:28, 29) Ngakho lapho uJesu esekhona, abafundi bakhe abakuzili ukudla. Kamuva lapho uJesu efa, abafundi bakhe bazolila kungavumi nokuthi badle. Kodwa konke lokho kuyoshintsha lapho evuswa! Ngaleso sikhathi, ngeke besaba naso isizathu sokuzila ukudla ngenxa yokudabuka.

Ngemva kwalokho, uJesu wenza le mifanekiso emibili: “Akekho umuntu othungela isichibi sendwangu entsha engutsheni yangaphandle endala, ngoba isichibi esisha siyayidonsa ingubo endala idabuke kakhulu. Abantu abalifaki iwayini elisha ezigujini ezindala zewayini. Uma benza kanjalo, izigubhu zewayini ziyaqhuma, iwayini lichitheke nezigubhu zewayini zonakale. Kodwa abantu bafaka iwayini elisha ezigujini ezintsha zewayini.” (Mathewu 9:16, 17) Usho ukuthini uJesu?

UJesu usiza abafundi bakaJohane uMbhapathizi ukuba baqonde ukuthi akekho okufanele alindele ukuba abalandeli bakaJesu banamathele emikhubeni emidala yobuJuda, njengesiko lokuzila ukudla. Wayengezelanga ukuzochibiyela nokuzoqhubekisela phambili indlela yokukhulekela endala neyayisiphelelwe yisikhathi, eyayisizolahlwa. Indlela yokukhulekela uJesu ayikhuthazayo akuyona leyo egxile ebuJudeni nasemasikweni abo asungulwe abantu. Akazami ukuthungela isichibi esisha engutsheni endala, noma ukufaka iwayini elisha esigujini sewayini esidala esiqinile.