UJesu uthi eqeda iNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni aye edolobheni leKhaphenawume lapho afika alandwe khona ngabanye abadala abangamaJuda. Bathunywe ngenye indoda engumRoma njalo engumkhokheli wamasotsha angu-100.

Umkhokheli webutho ugulelwa yinceku yakhe ayithandayo njalo isizakufa. Umkhokheli lo ucela uncedo kuJesu lanxa engoweZizweni. AmaJuda athunyiweyo atshela uJesu ukuthi inceku yendoda le “ilele phansi endlini, yome umhlubulo futhi ithwele nzima kakhulu,” mhlawumbe izwa ubuhlungu obukhulu. (UMathewu 8:6) Abadala abangamaJuda bancenga uJesu bemtshela ukuthi indoda le kumele incedwe sibili. Bathi: “Iyasithanda isizwe sethu, njalo yiyo eyasakhela isinagogi.”​—ULukha 7:4, 5.

UJesu uhle asuke labadala laba eqonda endlini yomkhokheli webutho. Kodwa bathi sebeseduze, umkhokheli lo athume abangane bakhe ukuthi bathi kuJesu: “Mnumzana, ungazihluphi. Kambe ngiyini mina ukuthi ungangena ngaphansi kophahla lwami? Yikho ngibone kungangifanelanga ukuthi ngize kuwe.” (ULukha 7:6, 7) Lanxa indoda le ijayele ukutshela abantu okokwenza, amazwi ayo atshengisa ukuthi ithobekile lokuthi itshiyene lamaRoma aziphatha kubi izinceku zawo.​—UMathewu 8:9.

Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi umkhokheli webutho lo uyakwazi ukuthi amaJuda kawadlelani labantu abangayisiwo maJuda. (ImiSebenzi 10:28) Mhlawumbe yikho okwenze wathuma abangane bakhe ukuthi bayetshela uJesu amazwi la: “Wena tshono ilizwi kuphela, usilise inceku yami.”​—ULukha 7:7.

UJesu uyamangala esizwa amazwi la abesesithi: “Ngilitshela ukuthi ngitsho lako-Israyeli kangikamtholi umuntu olokholo olukhulu kangaka.” (ULukha 7:9) Abangane bomkhokheli webutho bathi bephenduka endlini bathole inceku yakhe isisilile.

UJesu esesilise inceku le uhle acacise ukuthi abantu abalokholo bazabusiswa lanxa bengayisiwo maJuda. Uthi: “Abanengi bazakuza bevela empumalanga lentshonalanga, bahlale etafuleni lo-Abrahama, lo-Isaka kanye loJakhobe eMbusweni wamazulu.” Kodwa kuzakwenzakalani kumaJuda angelakholo? UJesu uthi “azaphoselwa phandle emnyameni. Yikho lapho azakhala khona atshayanise amazinyo.”​—UMathewu 8:11, 12.

Yikho-ke amaJuda angafuni ukwamukela isibusiso esiqala ukuphiwa wona esokuba seMbusweni kaKhristu azalahlwa. Kodwa abeZizweni bazakwamukelwa “eMbusweni wamazulu,” kube angathi bahlezi loKhristu etafuleni.