UJesu nabafundi bakhe manje baya ngasenyakatho eGalile. Kusentwasahlobo futhi emasimini kunokudla okusanhlamvu. Ngenxa yendlala, abafundi bakha okusanhlamvu badle. Wusuku lweSabatha, ngakho abaFarisi bayakuphawula lokho abakwenzayo.

Uzokhumbula ukuthi muva nje, amaJuda athile eJerusalema abefuna ukubulala uJesu, emmangalela ngokuthi uphula umthetho weSabatha. Manje abaFarisi bamangalela abafundi ngalokho abakwenzayo. “Bheka! Abafundi bakho benza lokho umthetho ongakuvumeli ukuba kwenziwe ngeSabatha.”—Mathewu 12:2.

AbaFarisi bathi ukukha okusanhlamvu bese ukuhlikihla ezandleni ukuze udle, kuwukuvuna nokubhula okusanhlamvu. (Eksodusi 34:21) Incazelo yabo eyeqisayo mayelana nokuthi yini ewumsebenzi, yenza iSabatha libe umthwalo kanti lalihloselwe ukuba libe usuku olujabulisayo nolokuqinisa ubuhlobo noNkulunkulu. UJesu ulungisa umbono wabo oyiphutha ngokwenza izibonelo ukuze abonise ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wayengahlosile ukuba umthetho waKhe weSabatha usetshenziswe ngaleyo ndlela.

Esinye isibonelo uJesu asinikezayo esikaDavide namadoda ayekanye naye. Ngesikhathi belambile, bangena etabernakele badla izinkwa zokubukwa. Lezo zinkwa ezase zisusiwe phambi kukaJehova kwabekwa ezintsha, ngokuvamile zazidliwa abapristi. Nokho, ngenxa yezimo, uDavide namadoda ayekanye nawo abazange babekwe cala ngokuzidla.—Levitikusi 24:5-9; 1 Samuweli 21:1-6.

 Esibonelweni sesibili, uJesu uthi: “Anifundanga yini eMthethweni ukuthi ngamaSabatha abapristi ethempelini bayalona iSabatha kodwa baqhubeke bengenacala?” UJesu uqonde ukuthi ngisho nangeSabatha, abapristi bahlaba izilwane zomhlatshelo benze neminye imisebenzi ethempelini. UJesu uthi: “Kodwa ngiyanitshela, lapha kukhona okukhulu kunethempeli.”—Mathewu 12:5, 6; Numeri 28:9.

UJesu uphinde acaphune imiBhalo ukuze agcizelele iphuzu lakhe: “Ukube benikuqondile ukuthi kusho ukuthini lokhu, ‘Ngifuna isihe, hhayi umhlatshelo,’ ngabe anibalahlanga laba abangenacala.” Uphetha ngokuthi: “Ngoba iNdodana yomuntu iyiNkosi yeSabatha.” UJesu lapha ukhuluma ngoMbuso wakhe onokuthula, oyobusa iminyaka eyinkulungwane.—Mathewu 12:7, 8; Hoseya 6:6.

Sekuyisikhathi eside abantu begqilazwe uSathane, udlame kanye nezimpi. Kuyohluka kakhulu ngeSabatha elikhulu, lapho sekubusa uKristu oyosilethela isikhathi sokuphumula esisilangazelelayo nesisidingayo!